Stuck in the Same Old Grades: Unchanging Disparities in Economically Disadvantaged Students’ Course Failures

Abstract

Freshman grades relate to academic outcomes, yet limited research explores which students face the highest risk of course failure. With logit analysis using a five-year Arkansas dataset (n = 164,688), we find that economically disadvantaged ninth-grade students are more likely to fail a course than their more privileged peers. This disparity persists over time despite claims of a shift toward SBG. The study highlights the pressing need for grading equity.

Keywords:

• Economically disadvantaged
• standards-based grading
• grading equity
• course failures
• ninth grade

Acknowledgments

This study utilizes previously anonymized data provided by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) through a research-practice partnership relationship deemed exempt from IRB approval

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).