Grade grubbing, also known as grade begging, occurs when students and parents who are unhappy with a given grade pressure teachers for a higher grade. It occurs at all grade levels, even in elementary school. Parents feel their student needs high grades to be in honors and enrichment programs. Parents and students are unhappy when they do not get the grade they expected. They demand justification for the grade or points given. They even beg for more time to complete an assignment or retake a test. Thus, it makes teachers feel uncomfortable even though they are supported by unions and the administration.
Grade Grubbing Problems
Grade grubbing by students and parents gives teachers a negative image of the students. Teachers feel that a student is not interested in learning. The grade is the only important thing, not the learning. Elementary students and parents argue about a grade with no legitimate reason other than personal benefit or pride. Upper-level students argue to raise their grade point average (GPA) or in fear of losing a scholarship. Older students feel their GPA and their transcripts reflect their intelligence.
Some students and parents argue that some students take a different test. Thus, the grade is unfair. Others argue that with math problems, partial credit should be given if some of the answer is correct.
Changing Grades
Grade grubbing is more common in upper grades than in lower grade levels. According to a 2024 survey by EdWeek Research Center, “44 percent of teachers said they never changed a grade after a student has seen it. Among those who did, 8 and 6 percent said it was because a student or parent requested the grade change, respectively. High school teachers reported that students were more likely than parents to make requests to change grades. Parent requests or administrative pressure coming from parent complaints drove grade change requests at the elementary level,” the survey said.
Today, many school administrators try to eliminate grade changing with policies. They are implementing checks and balances in the process of documenting grade changes and requests for a redo. They require a written request with a reason. The request is formally reviewed and denied, or the grade is changed.
Still other schools use a grading system to reduce grade-grubbing, such as proficiency-based learning. Proficiency-based means schools design and prioritize student learning outcomes, assessments, and feedback to determine progress.
Preventing the toil of grade-grubbing is important to teachers, parents, and students. Clear policies and expectations for the grading system are necessary. Offer multiple assessment types and communicate to parents and students that a high grade signifies excellent work, not simply the completion of the assignment.
