https://edexcellence.net/publications/grade-inflation-in-high-schools
Why “not where expected”? That would pretty much be exactly where I would expect it: The high school equivalent of all the high-end colleges which have also had a lot of grade inflation, and for many of the same probable reasons. Which likely include, by the way, some legitimate ones, like students are working harder and accomplishing more than they did one or two decades ago.
This is exactly why IMO it’s a mistake to only look at GPA and ignore other objective assessments such as AP tests, SAT/ACT. Grades are not necessarily an indication of effort or knowledge. The objective assessments may not gauge effort, but they can indicate knowledge.
I agree with @JHS and will say, further, that affluent schools supported by affluent parents who have certain expectations for their affluent offspring will result in schools that attempt to meet those expectations one way or another.
This article is in line with an earlier CC discussion:
I commented there that grade inflation is such a disservice to students, especially when standardized test scores don’t corroborate. By that time, however, it’s usually too late to remediate and whatever colleges these abused kids get into will often pose an academic struggle on top of the hit to their self-esteem.
Yep, this is exactly where I’d expect it.
You can make a strong argument for standardized tests.
Though more so for more achievement based tests (AP, IB, A-level, SAT subject) than tests that once were purported to measure “aptitude” but which are used mostly due to incumbency advantage (SAT, ACT).
There was an article in the Washington Post about grade inflation in the school system our sons went through. I would hate to see their grades without inflation :). Their test scores were excellent (good AP scores, oldest was NMSF). Their MO was to simply not do assignments, though. There’s nothing to inflate when that happens.
I have seen a fair bit of teaching to the test in AP classes. I’m not sure I would automatically equate a high AP test score with genuine knowledge and understanding.
My point is that you don’t want to read too much into test scores either. Our sons didn’t do much work in their classes, but they are good test takers.
When colleges cannot tell whether a school truly has many good students or just gives easy grades, a school has incentives to inflate grades to help its mediocre students, despite concerns about preserving the value of good grades for its good students. This is especially true when teachers are rewarded for “strong academic performance”
At this age of ultra competitiveness, grade inflation has it’s value. Highschool students suffer great anxiety and low self-esteem. I have no problem easing that a bit.
GPA may not be the best indication of knowledge gained from a class. But it measures diligence and perseverance, and is a great indication of college GPA, which is also inflated in a similar way, and for that, it well complement tests scores in college admission in my opinion.
I disagree. High school students with grade inflation suffer from artificially high assessments of their abilities, and then face much more anxiety when standardized test scores and college GPA don’t match what they expect.
It also makes college admission much less predictable. Since everyone gets an A in many places, it can be much harder to discern the relative levels of abilities of students
@Jon234, there’s no ideal system (and the ideal will differ depending on who you ask).
But an objective test is objective. The alternative is a subjective system, in which case, who decides what is fair and right?
“2. Algebra I end-of-course exam scores predict math ACT scores much better than do class grades.”
This is so strange. What value could there be in predicting ACT scores? The ACT’s entire purpose is to predict college grades. It doesn’t claim to have any intrinsic value.
This is like saying, “Beto O’Rourke should run for Senate. Factors indicate that he’ll do great in Gallup polls prior to the election.” The Gallup poll is not the point.
“High school students with grade inflation suffer from artificially high assessments of their abilities, and then face much more anxiety when standardized test scores and college GPA don’t match what they expect.”
Actually I think the issue is that grade inflation leaves no room for error. Most kids don’t feel they have a “high assessment” unless they have a straight A in almost every class. At our school, that does have grade inflation there are very very few kids with all A’s. those that have them almost always do very very well in college.
Who could have guessed that one long, comprehensive exam would correlate better with another long, comprehensive exam on roughly the same material as compared to some other assessment of how you learned that material that includes factors other than a long, comprehensive exam?
In other breaking news: Experts predict the sun will rise in the east tomorrow.
My DS went to a private school with no grade inflation. In fact, sometimes teachers marked him down with no explanation – he’d get a B- on a history paper, and he’d meet with the teacher and ask what he should have done differently. Often, the response was that she thought he could do better based on his previous work. That is, the teacher graded him on her expectations for him, rather than on standards against a predetermined rubric. I’ll never forget, in 3rd grade, his “research paper” came back completely redlined with rather sophisticated feedback on writing style, word choice and coherence. Most of the parents in that school disliked this particular teacher as being too strict, but I appreciated her aspirations for my son. She attended graduation even though she is now retired, and I took the opportunity to thank her again for her rigor.
Jumping forward in time, my son’s lower GPA (3.6 end of junior year) definitely hurt him in the college search. On the other hand, he is now excelling, with a very high GPA (> 3.9) at a competitive non-grade inflating college. His ability to often be the strongest student in his classes has already opened doors for him (scholarship opportunities, grants, etc.)
In the end I am not sure if I made the right choice with the private school. Probably he could have been the super star at his public school, had he remained. It will be interesting to see what he will do with his own children, in terms of public or private.
In summary, my view is grade inflation really does help garner positive college admissions results, but it may be detrimental thereafter.
@PurpleTitan There is no ideal system, agreed. I don’t have the answer, I’m merely pointing out something I have seen with some AP classes.
How does grade inflation, or deflation for that matter, actually work?
As an aside, when did AP become the norm as a measure of college readiness as apposed to, say, honors classes?
Sorry if I am taking this thread off track somewhat.
At our middle-class schools there was so much extra credit, my guys constantly had test scores over 100.
Combine that with too many chances to make up missed assignments, you get lots of grade compression at the top. Then “C” becomes “B”, and “D” becomes “C”. No one fails since they will do anything to get the kids graduated and out the door.
At my son’s state U, the most popular major is “Former Engineer”. All those kids who never really earned their HS grades pay the price when hitting the hard STEM coursework. He TA’d Calc and saw it every recitation with the lack of effort. (I know, I was one of them back in the day but muddled thru the degree!).
They gotta fill up the business school somehow.