Our grades are based on point scale.

There are 10 ways to get an A: 90, 91, 93…100

There are 10 ways to get a B: 85, 86,… 89

There are 6 ways to get a C: 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79

There are 4 ways to get a D: 70, 71, 72, 73
 But
there are 70 ways to get an “F”
(A) 100 99 98 97 96 95 94 93 92 91 90
(B) 89 88 87 86 85 84 83 82 81 80
(C) 79 78 77 76 75 74
(D) 73 72 71 70
(F) 69 68 67 66 65 64 63 62 61 60 59 58 57 56 55 54 53 52 51
50 49 48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31
30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
(A) 100 99 98 97 96 95 94 93 92 91 90
(B) 89 88 87 86 85 84 83 82 81 80
(C) 79 78 77 76 75 74
(D) 73 72 71 70
(F) 69 68 67 66 65 64 63 62 61 60 59
58 57 56 55 54 53 52 51 50
With this scale, the lowest grade is a 50

4: Exceeds the standard

3: Meets the Standard

2: Approaches the Standard

1: Does not Meet the Standard
Notice there isn’t a Zero?
…and improving from a 1 to a 3 or 4 doesn’t seem
insurmountable.

Is it possible that a student who passes in a minimal
assignment might get a 70 while a student who
passes in nothing gets a zero?
Is the minimal assignment worth 70 points more?

Passing in nothing is unacceptable - it deserves a
grade of incomplete or failing.

On a point scale, the lowest failing grade would be a
50.
One zero can be very powerful
Test
80
80
Test
80
80
Test
80
80
Test
80
80
Test
80
80
Test
Final
Average
0
67
50
failing
77
passing
Again, using a different point scale, the “failing” range is 50 – 69 and the
student passes.
Is the final grade appropriate?
Test
70
Test
70
Test
70
Test
70
Test
70
Test
70
Final
Average
70
passing
80
80
80
0
80
80
67
failing
90
80
70
75
85
0
67
failing
Does the final grade reflect their learning?
Quarter
1
Quarter
2
Quarter
3
Quarter
4
80
80
0
80
Year
Final
60
failing
80
80
80
50
73
passing
Giving a student a ZERO is usually a
punishment for a student’s lack of effort or
responsibility.
But is it necessarily a reflection of
their learning?
In some Olympic judging events, the high
and low scores are thrown out so that one
judge can’t control the outcome
 Giving
an incomplete lets students know
that they are expected to complete the
assignment.
 Giving
a 50 allows for a recovery.
 Giving
a zero is a dead end.
 If
a student never does anything, he/she
will get all 50’s and still fail.
 If
a student is failing, red flags will go up
and help will hopefully be on the way in
the form of tutoring, extra help, etc.
 Think
about what a zero means.
 Think
about what a zero does.
 Think
about trying an alternative.