The United States grading system for K-12 public schools is used as a measure of student achievement levels, determining how much a student has learned based on a grade alphabetical. Grades are typically measured in different ways, most commonly through tests, participation, homework, quizzes, papers, presentations, and group projects. Because grades reflect various ways of measuring a student, grades should be an accurate representation of what a student is learning. It may seem so; however, these items do not adequately measure a student's abilities. I intend to argue that the current grading system does not meet the criteria for a meaningful indicator of student success. In order to accurately measure a student's achievement, a system must include motivation for learning, a reliable way to assess what a student has learned, and must take into account the student's academic abilities. The current grading system does not meet these criteria. Although there are many reasons why the education system uses the current grading system, I must state that the grading system is not an accurate means of student success because it does not meet my criteria. In order to accurately measure a student's academic performance, each student must be assessed reliably and fairly. The grading system fails because some students experience test anxiety, which negatively affects their performance, causing them to get a low grade. Grading is therefore likely to inaccurately reflect the abilities of students who experience test anxiety. Spencer J. Salend states that "students with test anxiety experience high levels of stress, nervousness, and apprehension during testing and assessment situations that are...... in the middle of a paper...in a public K-12 educational institution. We certainly need methods to assess a student's academic success; However, the grading system fails to accurately measure student work and instead becomes the sole focus of learning. Students often believe that the grades they receive reflect what they have learned, but as demonstrated, this is not always the case. Works Cited Catalano, Tammy, Megan Gross, Jennifer Kurth, Stephanie Lovinger. “Grading students with significant disabilities in inclusive settings: Teachers’ perspectives.” » Journal of the International Special Education Association 13.1 (2012): 41-57. ERIC. Internet. March 30, 2014. Kohn, Alfie. “The Arguments Against Grades.” Educational Leadership 69.3 November 2011: 28-33. ERIC.Web. March 30, 2014. Salend, Spencer J. “Addressing Test Anxiety.” Teaching Exceptional Children 44.2 December 2011: 58-68. ERIC. Internet. March 31. 2014.