Traditional grading and reporting practices have been part of the educational system in the United States for centuries. Those grading practices are ingrained in schools across the country and have not changed much, if at all, over time. Traditional grading practices have a plethora of downfalls, but we continue to use them because they are what we know. Standards-based grading and reporting (SBG) is an alternate method to grading and reporting that has promise. The approach potentially has a positive association with student learning and achievement, and this study is designed to determine if that indeed is the case. The research to determine the effectiveness of standards-based grading and reporting (SBG) is relatively limited, and this study was an attempt to add to that body of research. It was also aimed at providing educational leaders with information that will help them determine if a standards-based approach to grading and reporting is right for their educational setting. A quantitative, ex post facto study was utilized to compare student assessment results from before and after the implementation of SBG in a small, rural school district in Nebraska. Eight research questions were posed to help compare the results of student achievement assessments before and after the implementation of SBG. Seven of the eight research questions indicated that student scores were higher after the implementation of standards-based grading and reporting. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]