Equity in Grading: Choosing a Minimum F

A Short Story

The story is told of the farmer who wanted a sure scientific way to determine if his plants were growing and maturing in a healthy manner. So, he consulted a botanist. The botanist did his research, and the evidence was incontrovertible. The length of the plant roots were the surest indication of the degree of growth, health, and maturity of the plants.

Armed with this scientific insight and the formulas to do his calculations the farmer returned to his farm and decided to apply this newfound knowledge to his prized cabbage plants. Every-day he would dig up the plants and measure the length of the roots.

The plants died.

Understanding Grades

What is the purpose of grading? Do you grade students, or do you grade student work? [Hint: if you talk of C-students and B-students you might be grading students] Does student effort impact student grades in your classroom? Is grading for student evaluation only? Is it for student motivation? Is it to check off a box? Is it for some other purpose?

After you have decided what the reasons are for grading student work here is an additional question to consider: Why might a teacher want to use a minimum F grade other than 0 (zero)?

The fact is, a grade of zero in one assignment has a leveling effect unlike any other grades. This arises because many grading systems use a 60-point F-grade band while using 10-point grade bands for all other grades. This effect on grade averages is often referred to as the power of zero, or the power of a zero-point F. It is probably best understood from examples.

Power of Zero

Many US jurisdictions use a grading scale where 0-59=F, 60-69 = D, 70-79 = C, 80-89 = B, and 90-100 = A. Let us imagine a student in such a system completes two assignments. To emphasize this point, imagine our student gets a perfect score on one assignment and the minimum score on the other. The Average of the perfect score A (100) and the minimum score F (0) would be 50 an F. This averaging power of the zero on grades is very different to the averaging power of other minimum grades.

How do other grades behave?

Combining Grades with a Maximum A

The average of the maximum A (100) with a minimum B (80) is a grade of A (90): The Average is a grade above the lower grade.

The average of the maximum A (100) with a minimum C (70) is a grade of B (85): The Average is a grade, actually a grade and a half, above the lower grade.

The average of the maximum A (100) with a minimum D (60) is a grade of B (80): The Average is two grades above the lower grade.

With the minimum F (0) the average grade is still an F. Some educators refer to this as creating a hole that students cannot get out of.

Combining Minimum Grades with an intervening Grade

Another way of looking at the behavior of the minimum F is by looking at the combination grade of a maximum grade in a category and the minimum grade in two categories below. For example: a Maximum A and a minimum C, or a maximum B and a minimum D.

The maximum A (100) averaged with a minimum C (70) is mid-point B (85). The maximum B (89) averaged with a minimum D (60) is a mid-point C (74.5). While the maximum C (79) averaged with a minimum F (0) is still a low F (39.5).

Equity in Grading

The driving philosophy of Equity in Grading is that the grade of F should behave similarly to other grades when it comes to averaging. But how exactly do we want the grade of F to behave? That is a question of one's educational philosophy.

Get out of the Hole Philosophy

Because the grade of maximum A (100) combined with all other grades averages to at least one grade higher grade higher than the lower grade the ‘get-out-of-the-hole’ philosophy is the maximum A (100) should average with the minimum F to give a minimum D(60). This gives the student an opportunity to ‘get-out-of-the-hole. This would set the minimum F at 20.

Comparable Bump Crowd

The ‘comparable-bump-crowd’ argue that Ds and Fs are both low grades and that since the maximum A (100) gives the minimum D(60) a two grade bump to a B(80) it should also give a two grade bump to the F taking it to a minimum C(70). This would set the minimum F at 40. [(100+40)/2 = 70].

There are also those who would argue that following the pattern [B gets a one grade bump, C gets a one and a half grade bump, D gets a two grade bump], a grade of F should get a two and a half grade bump to 75. This would set the minimum F at 50. [This choice was not included in earlier versions of this article since the result is the same as for the Equal Banding Community. However, I have come back to include it for completeness.]

Equal Banding Community

The Equal Banding Community argue that all other grade bands, except the A band at 11 points, are 10 points so minimum F should be 50.

Accuracy in Grading

Balancing the Equity-in-Grading voices are the Accuracy-in-Grading voices who argue that if you do not demonstrate any competencies then setting an artificial minimum is nothing short of Grade Inflation.

Teachers have long had discretion in grading students. There is the student who makes no effort versus the student who struggles with the content. Many teachers struggle with being fair with rewarding student effort.

Conclusion

I believe in the importance of accuracy in grading. My understanding of neurodiversity and my desire to promote a growth mindset in my students also requires me to respect and reward effort.

There is nothing inaccurate about having effort points in an assignment. I much prefer ‘effort-points’ to the concept of a mandated minimum F. Choosing my ‘effort-points’ is a philosophical matter.

Do I want equal grade-bands for students who make the effort? In this example that would support a minimum F of 50.

Do I believe that a maximum A should give lower performing students comparable grade bumps? In this example that would support a minimum F of 40 or possibly 50 depending on one's perspective..

Or do I believe that all students need is an opportunity to get out of the hole? In this example that would support a minimum F of 20.

Adaptation to Systems with a Variation of the Traditional Grade Bands:

What if my grade-bands are not all 10 points?

What if my grade-bands are divided in + and -; so, my system has grades of A+, A, A-, B+ and so on?

These are excellent discussion questions in which I encourage teachers and administrators to engage. Ultimately, where you land will depend on your philosophy of education and the roles of grading and assessment within that philosophy.

The Moral of the Story

Grading has a motivational component. If your choice of grading strategy, even though it may be educationally sound and statistically accurate, is killing your cabbage plants you ought to re-think that strategy!!!!