Grade inflation is a problem. Rounding, grading on a lenient curve, providing non-academic extra credit (e.g. bringing in a canned good, etc…) or even just “giving points” can inflate grades. But what happens when a child has a “B” in a class but fails an end of year exam? That is a “rigor gap.”
Florida has a “rigor gap” between the grades students are receiving and their mastery of content they show in their end-of-course exams in algebra I and 10th-grade English Language Arts, according to a report issued by the Florida Council of 100. Thirty-seven percent of the students who failed the English exam and 12 percent who failed the algebra exam received grades of B or higher in those courses. The study was based on three years of results before the coronavirus pandemic, and the researchers think those gaps have probably widened further. “The COVID-19 pandemic has likely exacerbated gaps in student achievement,” said Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran, “so it is imperative that all students, especially low-income students, students with special needs, English Language Learner, and other struggling students are given the supports and honest learning feedback to achieve their individualized educational dreams.”
Evaluate your school grading policies and ensure teachers are not inflating grades. Use standardized assessments to collate grade levels. For example, stanine is an easy means of evaluating. Use this:
- 1-3: Low
- 4-6: Middle
- 7-9: High
Generally, a student receiving 1-3 on standardized tests would be a low performing student. Whereas, a student in the 7-9 range would be a high performing student. Grades should be somewhat reflective of this reality. There are other measures you can use to evaluate this. Just be consistent.