**Alex, P. (2022). Time to pull the plug on traditional grading? Supporters of mastery-based grading say it could promote equity. Education Next, 22(4), 38–43. https://www.educationnext.org/time-to-pull-plug-on-traditional-grading-supporters-say-mastery-based-grading-could-promote-equity/
The article summarizes why many school systems are shifting away from traditional grading methods and towards mastery-based grading, emphasizing its potential to promote equity in education. Traditional grading, described as sometimes inconsistent and potentially biased by factors not directly reflective of student learning (e.g., behavior, attendance), is being challenged by educational reformers who argue that grades should focus solely on a student’s mastery of instructional content. The author also describes the challenges of these new grading methods, such as the scalability and the potential effects on student motivation and teacher workload.
**Brookhart, S. M., Guskey, T. R., Bowers, A. J., McMillan, J. H., Smith, J. K., Smith, L. F., Stevens, M. T., & Welsh, M. E. (2016). A century of grading research: Meaning and value in the most common educational measure. Review of Educational Research, 86(4), 803–848. https://academiccommons.columbia.edu/doi/10.7916/D8NV9JQ0.
This paper offers a comprehensive review of over one hundred years of grading research. The authors examine the evolution and implications of various grading practices, focusing on issues of reliability and validity, especially as linked to the intended purposes of those pratices. Early research criticized the unreliability of teacher-assigned grades, while more recent studies explore the multidimensional aspects of grades, including cognitive and non-cognitive factors that affect grading decisions. The article also discusses the role of grades in educational outcomes, such as college admissions and dropout rates, showing that grades not only reflect student achievement but also influence future educational opportunities. This article is helpful for placing the current grading reforms in a historical context and illuminating the complexity of the issues involved.
Swiderski, T., & Fuller, S. C. (2023, November 6). Student GPA and test score gaps are growing—and could be slowing pandemic recovery. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/student-gpa-and-test-score-gaps-are-growing-and-could-be-slowing-pandemic-recovery/.
This study examines growing disparities between student grade point averages (GPA) and test scores since the COVID-19 pandemic. “Grade inflation” is used to describe the phenomenon where GPAs rise faster than test scores over time. This phenomenon has been studied nationally for years, but the rate of “inflation” (i.e., the gap between GPAs and test scores) has increased markedly since the pandemic. Specifically, post-pandemic grades are holding steady even though test scores show achievement declines, along with other indicators of student engagement such as attendance and student behavior. The authors of this piece report that the consistency in GPAs is causing confusion among parents about the true academic needs of their children and leading to underutilization of available post-pandemic academic recovery programs.
**This document is a priority reading.