_______________________, read first time and referred to Committee on
MADAM PRESIDENT:
I offer the following resolution and move its adoption:
A SENATE RESOLUTION urging the legislative council to
establish an interim study committee to study grade inflation at state
educational institutions.
Whereas, Grade inflation is defined as "the awarding of
higher grades than students deserve either to maintain a
school's academic reputation or as a result of diminished
teacher expectations";
Whereas, Grade inflation did not become a major issue
in American education until the 1960s;
Whereas, However, recent data show that grades are
rising at colleges, universities, and high schools throughout
the United States;
Whereas, Grade inflation makes it more difficult to
identify the outstanding students when more students receive
the highest possible grade;
Whereas, There are several possible ways to address the
occurrence of grade inflation within our educational
institutions, including assigning more challenging course
work, instituting ranked grading or "grading on a curve", or
reporting grades on a 100 point scale rather than on a 4.0
point scale; and
Whereas, It would behoove the state of Indiana to study
further the issues of grade inflation: Therefore,
SECTION 1. That the legislative council is urged to establish an
interim study committee to study grade inflation at state educational
institutions.
SECTION 2. That the committee, if established, shall operate
under the direction of the legislative council, and that the committee
shall issue a final report when directed to do so by the council.