1. Grade Inflation and Deflation
Toson, DeRamos, Hill

2. Problemo
Inaccurate recording practices are misleading students.  Grade inflation practices are being used in higher education institutions such as IV league schools and trade schools. Grade deflation can result in students being denied post-secondary learning opportunities.
For example, the 100-point scale deflates the student’s grade by distorting their academic accomplishment because there is a 60% chance to fail. So to make up for the 60% chance of failure teachers are forced to grade things that should not play a factor in the student’s grade such as attitude, participation and attendance.
Grade deflation erodes the self confidence of a student because say they get graded on the 100-point scale and bomb a test (40/100) they now have such a long way to go to just attain a D let alone a C.

3. Definition/Mana’o
Grade Inflation – Increasing someone’s grade when it might not be deserved. The professor might be grading too easily.
Grade inflation makes students believe that they are better than they actually are because teachers are promoting grades on materials that are unnecessary (attitude, participation, attendance, etc.).
Grade Deflation – Lowering someone’s grade and teacher’s grading too harshly.
Grade deflation erodes the self-esteem of the students because they make Aʻs and Bʻs more difficult to achieve.

4. Influential Factors A teacher’s relationship with the student.
Sometimes they pity students or don’t want to demotivate them by giving lower grades. They want to be liked.
Tradition/Belief
Some teachers inflate/deflate grades because other teachers are doing it and they feel it is okay to do it.
It’s the nature of the school, so why fight the system.
Teacher’s lie to themselves and others.
Teacher’s inflate grades, to make students happy but they claim they do not.
Other times, they believe that because other teacher’s don’t inflate grades they feel they couldn’t be guilty of it either because they are the same.
Money
Generous grading gives better teacher reviews, thus, more students will be trying to get into that school and the school will earn more money for the books and classes that students will be paying for.
No Motivation
Grade deflation causes students stress because of how much they have to do and how hard they have to work making them feel less of themselves.
School Policy, Some schools policy forces them to grade on the 100 point scale.

5. Our Experience
Through the reading we found many of the factors that lead to deflation and inflation of grades. While reading, we discovered that several of these factors have occurred in our own lives. Factors such as the teachers relationship with the students, many teachers have a few students that are their favorites or their least favorites and the students grade reflects that. There are some teachers such as our Art teacher, that if the student is struggling or is unhappy will grade much more lenient on the work he turns in.

6. Our Solution!
- Our solution would be to change the policy that is requiring teachers to grade on the 100 point scale. Changing the policy to grade on the 4 point scale gives students room to fail, but with failure comes learning and life is about making mistakes and learning. Through our experience, the 4 point scale does not erode the self confidence of the ourselves or other students. The 4 point scale doesn’t dig students into a huge hole that they can never get out of because of that one test they bombed. To change things that are wrong is also part of our Hawaiian culture, the Hawaiians believed on changing things that were wrong quickly and efficiently and we the students of Kamehameha Schools wish to follow in their footsteps.

7. Citation Slide Grade Inflation; Education Degradation
To Stop Grade Inflation, Stop Inflating Grades.
Faculty Scrutinize Grading Trends.
How Grade Deflation Can EffectYour College Selection.
A History ofCollege Grade Inflation.