Rethinking Grading
I wonder how a “relative” grading system has skewed us. You’re given a set of facts; getting 100% is feasible, and under 65% is failing. Isn’t it odd that the majority of students are in the top 20%? Shouldn’t it be distributed so that 50% is the average score?
What might it look like if the entirety of the K-12 math curriculum were on a 0-100 scale, and each year you gradually move up the spectrum? The average 2nd graders would have 17% of required knowledge, and the average 10th grader would have 83% of required knowledge.
What if you could “study ahead” to opt-out of classes? Ie: If a 8th grader can spend their summer studying 9th-11th grade math, and ace it, why force them to sit through the class? Why not give them the autonomy to make room in their schedule for electives?