Posted on November 26, 2024 by Rebekah Alegria
In the evolving landscape of educational policy, unintended consequences often lurk behind well-meaning reforms.
Viviana Rodriguez, assistant professor of economics
This is the crux of research by Viviana Rodriguez, an assistant professor of economics in the Carlos Alvarez College of Business. Her latest research, which was highlighted in The New York Times, illuminates the intricate impacts of lenient grading policies, revealing how such measures can unintentionally widen educational disparities. Rodriguez studied a pivotal policy shift in North Carolina where the grading scale was adjusted.
“Under the previous seven-point scale, a student needed a score of 93 or above to secure an A. With the new 10-point scale, a score of 90 now qualifies for an A,” explained Rodriguez, who received her Ph.D. from Columbia University. “This change effectively lowers the threshold for achieving higher grades, making it more lenient.”
This adjustment in grading standards naturally led to higher GPAs because students could achieve higher letter grades with lower scores than before.
“If a student scored a 90 on several assessments, which previously would have been graded as B’s, these are now A’s under the new scale, directly boosting their overall GPA,” Rodriguez pointed out.
The research found that while this policy led to an initial boost in GPAs, it did not correlate with an improvement in actual learning outcomes or student achievement. Rodriguez’s study also uncovered an unexpected trend: increased absenteeism among students, particularly those who were already struggling academically.
“Students on the lower end of the performance spectrum did not benefit from the GPA boost in the same way their higher-performing peers did. Instead, they became more disengaged, leading to increased absenteeism,” she noted.
This finding suggests that while the policy might have been intended to help students by making grading more forgiving, it inadvertently discouraged attendance and engagement among those who needed the most support.
With research interests in the economics of education and labor economics, Rodriguez noted that her work gained significant attention following The New York Times article. She emphasized that work such as hers is even more relevant as it pertains to educational policy, especially in the wake of the pandemic’s impact on academic policies.
In response to inquiries about how educators and policymakers can apply these insights, Rodriguez advocates for more comprehensive research.
“Before implementing similar policies, it’s crucial to assess the potential impacts comprehensively. We need more data to understand fully how such changes affect all students, not just the average or typical student.”
A native of Bogota, Colombia, Rodriguez values being a Hispanic scholar at a Hispanic-Serving Institution where she can conduct her research and have a profound impact on educational policies.
— Rebekah Alegria
