South Carolina bans K-12 grade floors to combat inflation

South Carolina has passed legislation banning “grade floors” in K-12 schools to combat rising grade inflation. These policies previously required teachers to assign minimum grades, such as 40 or 50, instead of zeros to prevent GPAs from dropping due to missed assignments. Critics, including Patrick Kelly of the Palmetto State Teachers Association, argue these floors allow students to pass classes without completing schoolwork.

This legislative move follows a similar law passed by Texas in 2009. The trend of grade inflation is highlighted by data showing that while average high school GPAs rose from 3.17 in 2010 to 3.36 in 2021, ACT standardized test scores have stagnated or declined. Experts suggest that lenient pandemic-era grading policies and the use of artificial intelligence in schoolwork have further contributed to concerns regarding the diminishing value of high school diplomas.