When educators see that two students received a B in a particular course in two different schools and/or years, does it indicate the same level of understanding and achievement for both students? This paper addresses the assumption that grades are equivalent within subjects across schools and years. By comparing course grades to a standardized…

This report draws on combined sets of data to examine the relationship between students' academic performance and experiences in high school and how well they did in their initial year in college. Specifically, it looks at students who graduated from a Maryland high school in the 2003-2004 school year who enrolled at a Maryland college or…