PL
Descriptive marks – Evaluation (im)possibile ? This paper explores the place of descriptive marks in early education, in relation to both theory and practice, and especially its meaning and potential for functioning within the Polish education system. The underlying assumption is that ideas relating to this area are within a paradigm for educational development derived from progressivism as opposed to more traditional models of schooling. In respect of this, analyses of different contexts were carried out to explore which factors had an impact upon the status of descriptive marks in schools. The conclusion based on the results of the analyses is that the concept of descriptive marks from a progressivist perspective is much weaker than that which prevails within the existing educational realities and their attendant limitations. In spite of this, an appropriate use of descriptive results is still possible in early education, while the fact that the concept of “formative evaluation” is becoming more and more popular in Poland has created an opportunity for redefining and giving new meaning to the aims of school marks.