Grades and Grading Practices: Obstacles to Improving Education and to Helping At-Risk Students

This book explores the problems caused by grades, calling attention to how present grading practices create obstacles to improving the quality of American education by not helping students who are at risk. While poor grades may nudge some students to better performance, there are other students—low achievers—who are demoralized by poor grades, bringing about a variety of behavioral difficulties that have a negative effect on future incentive to learn. Good grades are motivating, but the only students who are motivated are those already getting good grades. Success is fundamental to achievement. Lack of success means lack of achievement. Failing grades are indicative of our failure to provide success for most students who receive them.