What is the point of grades?

No seriously, what is the point of grades?

I have been teaching 20 years and at first I lived and died by the grades I issued, but the older I have gotten I have started to question our grading system.  

Think about it.  Why do we issue grades?

The reasons I still have grades in my class is because it creates accountability and it gives feedbacks to students and parents.  

But the reality is this.  I teach at a Middle School and it does not make a difference if kids pass or fail they are going onto high school.  

At High School it does not matter if they pass with D's or A's they still get credit and graduate. 

There is no GPA requirement to get into a community college so grades do not matter there as well.  

So what is the point of grades?

In my latest video I explore that idea in more detail.  

To watch the video click on the image above.