Little research is available specifically about grading practices in mathematics classrooms. However, there is research about grading practices in high schools, across content areas. Since their first use students, parents and others have assumed that grades are reliable measures of student achievement. "In short, most Americans have a basic trust in the message that grades convey" (Marzano, 2000). Many educational researchers are highly critical of traditional grading practices. They suggest that commonly used grading systems fail to accurately reflect what students know and are able to do. The criticisms contend that (a) teachers consider factors other than achievement when assigning grades; (b) teachers weigh factors differently, and (c) teachers misinterpret scores on many classroom assessments. The Mid-Continent Regional Educational Laboratory (McREL) found that teachers, when assigning grades, frequently considered several "nonachievement" factors. This lack of consistency showed that the grade received by a student depends on many factors including their assigned teacher. Changing grading systems can be controversial. Most school stakeholders assume that grades accurately portray student achievement. Because high school grades are one of the important factors used to predict performance in college (College Board, 1998) it is important that schools examine grading practices to assure that they are consistent and accurately reflect student learning. (Contains 7 online resources and 3 print resources.)