Standard based grading has impacted differently than what you think.

The new grading system has been a trending topic since it was first announced at the beginning of the school year ASFM’s High School Assistant Principal, Eva Lamadrid, shared the honor roll (94 percent and up average) recipients of each generation from the past year to make a comparison.

Even though the perception of many students is that it has affected general grades, the numbers for each generation vary. Some have gone down, but Bach I, for example, is up by almost 10 percent.

But not everyone is pleased. Some students have seen a significant drop in their grades.

Senior Marcelo Zavala expressed that the new grading system rewards the mediocre and drags down the outstanding. “My average used to be a 97, but now I can only get 92’s, so it dropped down to a 90. I no longer have any motivation to study or to do work because it seems that my grade will end up being a 92 anyways.

“For the past two years I’ve dedicated a great deal of time and effort towards keeping my average high, and standard based grading has ruined it in just one semester.”

Juan Pablo Torres, 12th grade, saw the opposite effect. “In 11th grade my second-semester average was 81; this last semester I finished with an average of 89.

“I believe the new grading system benefited classes such as English, Philosophy and Spanish. However, I wouldn't say the same about STEM.”

Eleventh-grader Vale Benavides agreed with Juan Pablo. “The new system has helped me a lot, the majority of my grades have increased. I feel less stressed and I believe I have a greater opportunity of scoring better grades. My average went up two points.”