Which grading scale establishes a standard students must meet before passing?

The Mastery Grading Scales are specifically designed to ensure that students demonstrate a certain level of understanding or skill in order to pass. This type of grading focuses on the idea that students must achieve mastery of specific content or skills, often defined by predetermined criteria. The essence of mastery grading is that it sets a clear standard or benchmark that students must meet, which emphasizes the importance of achieving a thorough understanding of the material rather than just comparing performance relative to peers.

In contrast, relative grading scales compare students’ performances to one another, so the pass criterion may depend on the performance of the group rather than a fixed standard. Descriptive grading scales may involve qualitative descriptions of performance but don't necessarily define a pass/fail based on specific mastery outcomes. Absolute grading standards establish fixed criteria for letter grades but do not necessarily emphasize the mastery concept as a prerequisite for passing. Thus, mastery grading uniquely highlights the requirement for students to reach a defined level of proficiency.