
ACT: Pandemic fueled grade inflation
High school grade inflation accelerated during the pandemic, according to ACT. “The findings echo a recent federal study that also showed signs of grade inflation,” writes Sarah D. Sparks in Education Week. The average GPA (grade point average) has been rising since 2010, reports Edgar Sanchez, a senior research scientist at ACT. Test scores have not. The gap began increasing significantly in 2018, before the pandemic. Grades rose faster for girls and for Black students, ACT