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Grade Harbor
First grading session

What happens the first time you grade with Grade Harbor.

Bring your rubric and a class set of essays. Grade Harbor prepares draft scores and feedback, then you inspect the reasoning, edit what needs changing, and approve only the grades you trust.

Start free trialView sample output
  • No credit card required
  • You approve every grade
  • Plans start at $5/month

Four-step overview

The short version before your first grading run

Each stage has a clear handoff. Draft work can move quickly, but final decisions stay with the teacher.

  1. Set the rubric

    Use your own rubric or start from a template. Define criteria, weights, and point scales.

  2. Upload essays

    Add files manually, use an approved LMS workflow, or rely on district roster sync to match students after setup.

  3. Review AI suggestions

    See criterion scores, evidence, and feedback drafts for every essay.

  4. Approve and export

    Edit anything, lock only the grades you approve, and export results when you are ready.

Detailed grading cycle

A practical walkthrough from materials to next steps

This page follows a first run: what teachers bring, what the product prepares, where review happens, and what the teacher does after grades are locked.

  1. 01 - Prepare

    Build your rubric

    Create criteria, set weights, and add anchor descriptions. Or start from a template and adjust it before assigning.

  2. 02 - Assign

    Create an assignment

    Attach the rubric snapshot, set a due date, and collect the work you want to grade in this session.

  3. 03 - Collect

    Upload essays

    Manual upload is always available. Google Classroom workflows are available only where connected and approved. Canvas, Schoology, Clever, ClassLink, OneRoster, and district SSO require school or district approval, setup, and applicable provider terms.

  4. 04 - Evaluate

    Generate draft grading

    AI prepares rubric-aligned criterion scores, evidence, and feedback drafts. It does not record final grades.

  5. 05 - Decide

    Review and override

    Open any essay, inspect the reasoning, edit feedback, and override scores before anything is locked.

  6. 06 - Finalize

    Lock approved grades

    Lock only the grades you approve. Exporting or sharing feedback remains a separate teacher-controlled action.

  7. 07 - Improve

    Act on patterns

    Skill profiles and class trends surface who needs follow-up and what to teach next.

District implementation path

Add approved district controls when your rollout needs them.

Individual teachers can start with manual upload. Manual upload is always available. Google Classroom workflows are available only where connected and approved. Canvas, Schoology, Clever, ClassLink, OneRoster, and district SSO require school or district approval, setup, and applicable provider terms. School and district teams can add admin controls and launch tracking after implementation setup.

Integration support does not imply provider certification, marketplace listing, or automatic production enablement for every customer.

  • Approve access first

    District SSO is configured for adult staff only after school or district approval, domain verification, and identity-provider setup.

  • Connect systems deliberately

    Manual upload is always available. Google Classroom workflows are available only where connected and approved. Canvas, Schoology, Clever, ClassLink, OneRoster, and district SSO require school or district approval, setup, and applicable provider terms.

  • Coordinate the rollout

    The district portal supports users, roles, license seats, aggregate usage, writing insights, compliance workflows, content publishing, and launch readiness.

  • Review implementation status

    Export launch summaries for support, IT, and school leaders without exposing student writing.

First-session checklist

What to have ready before you start

A first run should feel concrete. Bring the assignment materials, leave time to inspect the draft output, and keep final sharing separate from grading.

Inspect sample outputRead FERPA notice
  • A rubric with criteria, weights, and point ranges
  • A class set of essays, manual upload files, or a connected and approved Google Classroom or district workflow
  • Student names or roster IDs for matching work to the right learners
  • 10-15 minutes to review the first AI suggestions before locking any grade
  • Human-in-the-loopAI prepares the draft. The teacher decides what is final.
  • Teacher-only workflowNo student-facing portal or automatic student notifications.
  • Provider approval requiredIntegration support is not certification or automatic enablement.

Ready to try the workflow?

Start free, bring one rubric and one essay set, and review the first draft results before approving anything.

Start free trialCompare plans

No credit card required | You approve every grade | Plans start at $5/month

  • No credit card required
  • You approve every grade
  • Plans start at $5/month