New ‘Grading for Equity’ System in Some California Schools Gets Mixed Reviews

Eliminating homework and zero grades will boost graduation rates, but will the students know the material?

Teachers greet students on the first day of classes at Yorba Middle School in Orange, Calif., on Aug. 16, 2023. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

As California students return to school, the debate over a new grading system aimed at eliminating biases in traditional grading continues across the state.

The new system, “Grading for Equity,” seeks to remove non-academic factors such as attendance, participation, and timely submission of assignments from students’ grades, focusing solely on mastery of content.