[GPA] in, [GPA] out: Uncovering Inequity and Flaws in Grading Policies
Type:
Article
Topics:
Curriculum & Assessment,
Equity,
Journal of Scholarship and Practice
December 01, 2022
Appears in 2022 Winter Journal of Scholarship and Practice.
This commentary explores how the omnipresence of letter grades and grade point average (GPA) as
metrics in American education encourage uncritical acceptance of current grading practices despite
the inherent inequity and flaws that harm students and institutions. The reduction of the student
experience to a GPA launders both meaningful nuance of how course grades are assigned as well as
potential evidence of inequitable grade distribution. The lack of consistency in how course grades are
calculated erodes metric reliability and validity. Systems over reliant on GPA will continue to
overlook the presence of inequity in grading when setting future policy, so developing diverse
datasets is advised in an effort to promote equity within our schools.
AUTHOR
Luke Green, MA Instructor Liberal Arts and Sciences St. Cloud Technical and Community College Sartell, MN
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