Actually, just the opposite is true. Versions of standards based assessment have been around for as long as schools have been around. It wasn’t until the 20th century that our traditional version of grading (A-F scale) became the norm. It is true, however, that standards based assessment has started to make a comeback to schools in the last several decades. Many states (Oregon, Kansas, Kentucky, Hawaii to name a few) have made this a statewide shift. In others, including Ohio, it has been a local decision.