America's education debate often focuses on curriculum battles and school funding. Yet one of the most consequential problems in K-12 education receives remarkably little attention: grades no longer mean anything.
For years, high school GPAs have steadily climbed across the country. According to a report released by the ACT, average math GPAs rose from 3.02 in 2010 to 3.32 in 2022, with similar jumps in English, Science, and Social Studies, too. At first glance, that sounds like good news. Higher grades should indicate stronger student performance.
Yet Americans know something is off. Many have grandparents who, with just high school diplomas from public schools, could speak and read a foreign language, write cogently (and in cursive), and do complex math. Today’s graduates have better transcripts and limited abilities.
The data confirms the collapse people feel.
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