Grade Inflation: Killing with Kindness

Educational Leadership

Bryan Goodwin’s latest Educational Leadership article discusses the possibility of grade inflation and why it may be occurring. Using data from several studies, Goodwin shows that even though grades have risen over the years, student performance on national tests has not improved. He gives several possible reasons for grade inflation, including that teachers base grades on factors indirectly related to their learning, including effort, ability, behavior, and attitude. Goodwin concludes that if grade inflation is occurring, giving unrealistic grades only harms students when they fail in college because they do not have the necessary skills.

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