Grade Inflation Is Concealing Poor Student Performance

Most parents assume that if their children are earning A’s and B’s, they must be meeting grade-level standards. After all, A is the highest grade possible. Getting a B is the next best thing. If students weren’t meeting the school’s expectations—if they were academically behind and at risk of falling further—they wouldn’t bring home such good grades.

Right?

Wrong. In fact, in communities all across the nation, misleading report cards are coming home. A 2023 study published by Gallup and Learning Heroes found that 79 percent of parents say their child receives traditionally good grades, mostly B’s or better, on their report cards. Nearly nine in ten believe their child is at or above grade level in reading and math. Yet, results from state exams as well as the National Assessment of Educational Progress show that large percentages of students actually aren’t on grade level in reading and math. In fact, in some cases, they’re several years behind.

How is it possible for kids who are behind to come home with A’s and B’s on their report cards? Grade inflation is partly to blame. So is social promotion. But a significant part of the disconnect between grades and true proficiency is the fact that report cards reflect more than just academic mastery. When teachers assign grades, they also consider measures like growth, participation, and effort. These are important touchstones that can signal a student’s readiness for college, career, and adulthood. But they can also obscure poor academic performance from parents and caregivers.

Concealing poor performance has consequences. Struggling students who are passed along from grade to grade will continue to fall further behind their peers. Despite their A’s and B’s, they won’t be ready for college or the workplace. And those same A’s and B’s can prevent families from recognizing that their kids need help. A mom who thinks her son is doing well in math because of the B on his report card is unlikely to sign him up for tutoring. A dad who believes his daughter is reading on grade level won’t go searching for tips on how to help at home. When parents rely solely on inflated report card grades for information, they miss the warning signs that more reliable measures, like standardized exams, are designed to identify—and that can have both short- and long-term impacts on their children.

We know that families are an integral part of boosting student achievement, which means it’s time to start giving them all the pieces of the puzzle. Report cards are helpful, but can obscure academic struggles. State test results are crucial, but they come just once a year. Families need consistent and complete data. And in one of Ohio’s largest school districts, it seems they’re about to get it.

In November, board members at Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) approved a change that requires the district to include students’ current reading and math achievement, expressed in terms of grade level, on their report cards at least twice a year. Beginning in the 2026–27 school year, parents of students in grades K–6 can expect to see statements like “reading at fourth grade level” on their student’s report cards in addition to familiar letter grades. Parents of middle and high school students will also be given this information when the relevant data are available. Included will be the date and source of the information (for example, the fall 2026 administration of an iReady assessment).  

According to local news coverage, parents pushed for this change. Thanks to their efforts, thousands of families will begin to get reliable updates about their students' reading and math levels, along with course grades determined by teachers. For some families, this might be the first time they realize that the A’s and B’s their child brings home don’t necessarily mean they’re achieving on grade level. And while that information alone won’t change anything, knowledge is power. Empowered parents can meet with teachers, obtain out-of-school help, offer support at home, and explore other schooling options, all of which can turn the tide for a struggling student.

CPS board members—especially Ben Lindy, who introduced the resolution—deserve kudos, too. This level of transparency could spark some tough questions for teachers and school administrators. Going forward, the district will be more accountable to families than it was before.

Hats off to Cincinnati for putting students first. Here’s hoping other districts in Ohio and around the country follow suit.