How to Lessen The Teacher Grading Burden

Assign work, collect work, grade work. 

This familiar grading routine feels overwhelming at times, especially at the secondary level where roster totals can reach over 150 students.

Finding a sustainable grading system isn’t just helpful—it’s essential for your survival. 

The good news? There are practical ways to streamline the grading process and keep it from taking over your life.

The goal: Increase grading efficiency without losing effectiveness.

What does “effective grading” look like?

1. Provide quality feedback to students.

Your feedback lets students know if they’re on track or, if not, how they might improve.

2. Maintain accurate and up-to-date grade books.

Students and parents expect that your online grades are current.  If you don’t regularly update grades, expect at least a few parent emails or phone calls. 

Also, when students know their work is regularly graded, they tend to be more motivated.

3. Check for mastery.

Reviewing assignments allows you to see if students have mastered the lesson concepts and are ready to move on—or if reteaching is necessary.

***Keep these three characteristics of effective grading in mind!  But let’s also be practical.  A streamlined grading process can free up tens, if not hundreds, of hours in a school year.

9 Tips to Ease the Teacher Grading Burden

1. Use “Quick Checks” for Low-Stakes Assignments

Not every assignment needs a deep dive. Sometimes, a simple “check” for completion and basic understanding is enough.

Examples of assignments for quick checks:

• Warm-up questions
• Journal writing
• Student reflections on the lesson

Pro Tip: If the assignment is online, mark it as “ungraded,” but keep an eye on student participation—some students may not take ungraded work seriously.

2. Grade Only the Essentials

If you’ve assigned 10 math problems, maybe you only need to grade the first three to check for understanding. In science, perhaps the final question on the page shows whether students can apply the concept.

Focus your time on the essential questions. This won’t work for every assignment, but it’s a great way to save time occasionally.

3. Collect and Grade in Batches

Instead of collecting every assignment as it’s completed, consider having students turn in a packet at the end of the week or unit.

Benefits:

• Reduces the daily cycle of collecting and grading
• Allows for more focused grading sessions
• Helps students keep their work organized

You can also use formative assessments like class discussions or exit tickets to gauge understanding throughout the unit.

4. Simplify Your Late Work Policy

A complicated late work policy can create unnecessary headaches. Avoid policies that require calendars, calculators, and counting on your fingers.

Example of a simple, fair policy: “Work submitted after the due date will receive a 25% deduction.”

Your exact policy is up to you, but keep it simple and manageable.

5. Incorporate Peer and Self-Grading

Occasionally, let students grade their own work or a classmate’s. It saves you time and can help students learn from each other.

Pros of peer grading:

• Quick feedback for students
• Encourages engagement and critical thinking
• Exposes students to different approaches to the same problem

Best Practices:

• Use peer grading for assignments with clear right or wrong answers.
• Have students grade in a different color.
• Set clear guidelines for peer editing to ensure supportive, helpful comments.
• Don’t have students put a final score on the assignment–do that yourself.

6. Use Rubrics for Clarity and Efficiency

Rubrics are your best friend when it comes to grading essays, projects, or presentations.

Why Use Rubrics?

• Clarifies expectations for students
• Makes grading quicker and more consistent
• Prevents repetitive comments
• Simplifies grade calculation
• Allows for circling sections on the rubric instead of writing long comments

Take a look at “How to Create a Rubric in Three Steps – Examples Included“.

7. Leverage Grading Technology

Take advantage of tools that can reduce your grading load:

• • Google Forms: Automatically grade quizzes.
  • Mote: Record audio feedback directly into Google Docs
  • Formative: Create online assignments with AI-generated questions and automatic grading.
  • Kahoot!: A fun, low-prep way to assess understanding.

8. Create a Grading Routine

Set aside dedicated grading time and stick to it.

Tips for Building a Routine:

• Designate a daily 30-minute grading block.
• Create a workspace free of distractions.
• Use the Pomodoro Method to stay focused and boost productivity.

9. Stay on Top of Grade Input

Try to input grades into your school’s system within a few days of collecting work. This keeps students and parents informed and gives you time to reteach if necessary.

Tip: By the time progress reports roll around, you should have more than two or three assignments graded. Administrators and parents will wonder what’s happening if only a handful of assignments are posted after several weeks.

Brad has taught history at the middle and high school levels for 19 years, almost exclusively in American public schools.  He holds a master’s in educational technology and is passionate about elevating the status of professional educators.