In this qualitative phenomenological research, the perspectives of secondary school administrators regarding the tenets of standards-based grading were explored. This research sought to expand the knowledge of understanding the views held by secondary school administrators regarding grading practices as a means to further improve how student learning is measured and communicated. This qualitative phenomenological research study used semi-structured interviews to address the central question of the study. Structural coding was used to identify themes in the interviews. This study found a shared understanding of standards-based grading among research participants. Additionally, there was overwhelming consistency in their agreement with the tenets of standards-based grading. Most agreed best practice in grading is to communicate and measure only what students have learned based on defined standards. The ability to implement standards-based grading was not based on knowledge, rather on the participant's self-professed general ability as a leader. The findings highlighted the need for training for secondary school administrators to create a common vocabulary when discussing best grading practice. Research looking into discrepancies between grades earned in class and performance on standardized testing should be considered to determine if best practices are being utilized. Further, grading committees (particularly in the studied district) should be utilized to create commonality of grading for all students. [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.]