Grading policies such as refusing to accept late work, giving grades of zero, and refusing to allow students to redo their work may be intended as punishment for poor performance, but such policies will not really teach students to be accountable, and they provide very little useful information about students' mastery of the material. This article asks if these are the approaches that really teach students to be accountable, and argues that grades are not the effective teachers or accountability measures they are imagined to be. The author then looks at some common grading practices that teachers mistakenly think teach accountability. He then suggests that a grade is supposed to provide an accurate indicator of a student's mastery of learning standards, and not meant to be part of a reward, motivation or behavioral contract system. He explains that if a grade is distorted by weaving in a student's personal behavior, character, and work habits, it cannot be used to successfully provide feedback, document progress or inform instructional decisions. He concludes by providing practical suggestions for providing feedback and translating it into student friendly language during the learning process rather than after the fact. Assessment and feedback, particularly during the course of learning, are the most effective ways for students to learn accountability in their work and personal lives.