Advantages and Disadvantages of Weighted Grading. Research Brief

What are the advantages and disadvantages of weighted grading? The primary purpose of weighted grading has been to encourage high school students to take more rigorous courses. This effort is then acknowledged by more weight being given to the grade for a specified class. There are numerous systems of weighted grading cited in the literature from a student determining which courses will be weighted, to honors, gifted and AP classes having different weights to only AP courses being weighted. From a study conducted in 2000 by Gail C. Downs, it was found that more than half of the nation's high schools use some form of a weighted grading system. From a perusal of some of the schools and districts that use weighted grading, research was conducted by them to determine what would best meet the needs of their students. Advantages and disadvantages of weighted grading are presented in this paper. (Contains 4 online resources.)