Grading

Education Week opinion letters submissions
Gwen Keraval for Education Week
Assessment Letter to the Editor It’s Time to Think About What Grades Really Mean
"Traditional grading often masks what a learner actually knows or is able to do."
November 26, 2025
1 min read
A teacher leads students in a discussion about hyperbole and symbolism in a high school English class.
A teacher meets with students in a high school English class. Whether teachers should provide extra credit assignments remains a divisive topic as schools figure out the best way to assess student knowledge.
Allison Shelley for All4Ed
Assessment Should Students Be Allowed Extra Credit? Teachers Are Divided
Many argue that extra credit doesn't increase student knowledge, making it a part of a larger conversation on grading and assessment.
Jennifer Vilcarino, November 19, 2025
1 min read
A hand tips the scales. Concept of equitable grading.
DigitalVision Vectors + Education Week
Assessment Opinion We Urgently Need Grading Reform. These 3 Things Stand in the Way
Here’s what fuels the pushback against standards-based grading—and how to overcome it.
Joe Feldman, November 5, 2025
5 min read
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Making Standards-Based Grading Work in Your School or District: A Case Study
Curious about standards-based grading? Join to get an inspiring, practical look from one California school.
Content provided by Otus
A student standing on a letter A mountain peak with other letter grades are scattered in the vast landscape.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + DigitalVision Vectors
Assessment Opinion I Don’t Offer My Students Extra Credit. Here’s What I Do Instead
There isn’t anything "extra," but there is plenty my students can do to improve their grade.
Joshua Palsky, August 27, 2025
4 min read
A classroom is seen at Woodmore Elementary @ Meadowbrook on August 15, 2025 in Bowie, Maryland. In a so-called ‘swing move,’ Woodmore Elementary has relocated to Meadowbrook Elementary school until Summer 2027.
A classroom is seen at Woodmore Elementary @ Meadowbrook on August 15, 2025 in Bowie, Md. A new survey shows most teachers have begun to use some elements of what's known as equitable grading.
Pete Kiehart for Education Week
Assessment Here's What Teachers Really Think About Equitable Grading Policies
A new study examines the prevalence of policies like no zeroes or unlimited retakes in classrooms.
Elizabeth Heubeck, August 20, 2025
4 min read
Close up of a schoolgirl showing her C- grade on a test at elementary school.
E+/Getty Images
Assessment Download 6 Ways to Curb Grade-Change Requests From Students and Parents (DOWNLOADABLE)
No one likes dealing with grade-change requests. Here are some tips to help teachers avoid them altogether.
Elizabeth Heubeck, May 19, 2025
1 min read
A student climbs up stairs as letter grades fall around her. In the background a teacher is grading a test.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
Assessment Opinion Our Grading System Was Setting Students Up to Fail—Until This Change
Our first reaction to standards-based grading was despair. Then, slowly, things began to change.
Matthew Ebert, May 13, 2025
5 min read
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Reflections on Evidence-Based Grading Practices: What We Learned for Next Year
Get real insights on evidence-based grading from K-12 leaders.
Content provided by Otus
Grading and assessment SR
Robert Neubecker for Education Week
Assessment In Case You Missed It: How Schools Are Measuring Student Success
Explore stories about grading practices, what truly reflects student achievement, and more.
Daniela Franco Brown, April 23, 2025
5 min read
Grading reform lead art
Illustration by Laura Baker/Education Week with E+ and iStock/Getty
Assessment Download A Guide to Equitable Grading in Schools (DOWNLOADABLE)
See how traditional and equitable grading practices differ in this downloadable guide.
Ileana Najarro, April 15, 2025
1 min read
Image of students with letter grades overlay on their clothing.
Robert Neubecker for Education Week
Special Report Grading and Assessment: How to Best Measure Student Success
This report explores the impact of grading policies and practices on student assessment, and the impact of GPAs on students’ futures.
April 14, 2025
Image of a tug-of-war over an A or B grade.
Robert Neubecker for Education Week
Assessment What Should Teachers Do When Students—or Parents—Ask for a Better Grade?
Plenty of students, and even parents, ask teachers to change their grades. Here's how teachers react.
Elizabeth Heubeck, April 14, 2025
6 min read
Assessment Interactive How Teachers Approach Grading, in Charts
Teachers weigh multiple factors, including subjective perceptions, when selecting grades, beyond just assignments and test scores.
Elizabeth Heubeck, April 14, 2025
3 min read