As they attempt to make the transition to standards-based grading, many schools go off track or get swamped by side issues, writes Brookhart. They waste energy having hard discussions about grading practice details that, by themselves, cannot accomplish real reform. Instead, schools should focus discussion on major questions: What meaning do we want our grades to convey? and Who are the primary intended audiences for this message? Brookhart describes several ways for schools to start and maintain meaningful staff conversations about grading; she emphasizes the importance of taking educators' concerns seriously and building consensus around the basic purpose of grading.