Grades are a very important part of the academic record. My oldest daughter visited Albright College during one of her college visits. According to Albright College admissions counselor Chris Boehm, high school transcripts are the best predictor of success in college.

But what happens when transcripts are fake? Knowing the importance of high school grades presents a challenge. Many students have learned (if not been encouraged) to micro-manage their grades to get the highest grades with the least effort.

• Are you collecting this?
• Will this be on the test?
• What will my grade be if I turn in my missing homework or re-take the chapter test?

These are all too familiar questions that make veteran teachers cringe.

Background

In my experience, questions like these are often suggestive of a student who is looking to put forth the bare minimum effort to maintain the “optics of learning.” Where do these questions come from? Apart from their being kids, these questions flourish in what I call “gold star” classrooms. In a token-based learning environment, compliance supersedes learning which establishes a quid quo pro grading system. WIIFM — “What’s In It For Me? (if I comply).”

Grades were originally meant to reflect a student’s level of mastery of subject-based standards. Until we have standards-based grading, our numerical and letter grades need to be representative of a student’s true achievement at the time the grade is issued. So classroom practices should generate grades that mirror classroom assessment data. Make sense?

A Dilemma…

Many students in Pennsylvania pass Algebra 1, the course. But then fail Algebra 1, the Keystone Exam. The Keystone Exams are the Commonwealth’s exit exams. To graduate, students must pass them (unless the DOE grants yet another reprieve).

Those not in the classroom often believe this situation to be evidence of poor curriculum alignment or bad instruction. However, I suspect something perhaps a little more insidious is occurring. Let’s face it… the curriculum rag has been wrung dry. it’s time to stop beating a dead horse.

I wonder whether the plethora of student safety nets have made it virtually impossible not to eek out a 65 or 70 and to pass a course? Given enough fair grading policy initiatives (not to mention teachers’ lame extra credit measures like doing word searches, banging erasers, cleaning chalkboards, etc.), many students have become masterful at engineering a passing grade for the marking period.

However, the safety net culture ignores an important parallel. Considering that students are not given three guesses on each Keystone Exam question (with instantaneous feedback between questions), is it the really our curricula that are misaligned? Or could it possibly be the grading policies?

So how do students pass a class and then fail the exit exam?

1. The course grade was filled with fluff like participation points and extra credit. (QUITE POSSIBLE)
2. The school’s curriculum is not aligned to state standards. (EXTREMELY UNLIKELY)
3. The curriculum is aligned, but unimplementable due to capacity-constraining school policies. (WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER!)

Based on my experience, #3 gets my vote with #1 comes in a not-too-distant second.

What is the solution to grade padding?

Schools should allow students to take an assessment as many times as necessary to show mastery — same as the Keystone. Students’ previous scores should not be held against them once they achieve — same as the Keystone. In short, focus on the learning, and the grades will take care of themselves.

This reminds me of legendary 49er coach Bill Walsh’s book, The Score Takes Care of Itself. Coach Walsh said to execute on every play, the score would take care of itself, and the wins would ensue.

Academically, this means doing assignments even though they may not get graded, instead of asking whether they will count… Focusing on the stated purpose of an activity, not being a once-and-done-Willie in a hurry to get back to scrolling TikTok… Cognitive engagement in assignments and activities (i.e., paying attention) as the carefully-crafted opportunities to learn that they are, rather than seeing them as tasks to be checked off.

Policymakers should not just encourage this, they should demand it. And students would be well on their way to earning Honor Roll, really passing courses, and passing exit exams. When the grades they earn truly reflect their level of mastery, exit exam scores will improve.

Folks. Someone has moved our cheese. It’s time for us to sniff and scurry, not hem and haw. (Read the Spencer Johnson book Who Moved My Cheese?)

Long-term Consequences

Maybe grade inflation ensues from social promotion. That is, perhaps grade inflation becomes necessary to prolong the false positive feelings created by social promotion policies in the primary and middle school grades.

Experts know that grade inflation does indeed exist. In 2021, Derek Newton reported in Forbes that even the attainment of college degrees was diluted from 1990 to 2010. Graduation rates increase during that time period from 52% to 59.7%

I suppose the long-term consequence of earning a bogus degree depends on the area of expertise the graduate ends up pursuing. I mean who wants to be practiced on by a doctor whose clinicals were padded?

Let’s connect the dots. (Actually it’s wild extrapolation, but I’m a math guy!) Social promotion in grade school leads to grade inflation in secondary and postsecondary schools which leads to malpractice lawsuits. Do we really wants our third graders to screw up Grandma’s heart surgery someday?

Can you share a safety net procedure that is not connected to the standards or the assessment thereof.