Research has shown that even though the A-F grading system is widely used in the system of public education, grading practices are inconsistent and are commonly unreliable. One reason for this is that teacher training is inconsistent or ineffective. This qualitative case study seeks to explore the meaning of grades by exploring educators' grading practices and philosophies at a large, midwestern, suburban high school using the lens of Systems Theory. Study participants included five veteran teachers and two administrators. Data were collected through interviews of the participants, observation, and document analysis. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]