Parents overtrust inflated report cards

Report‑card grades have become systematically inflated in many districts, and parents habitually weight those familiar, easy‑to‑read signals more than standardized test scores. That mismatch delays remedial action and undermines accountability because families and schools interpret classroom marks as proof of mastery even when independent tests say otherwise. — If parents and policymakers keep relying on report cards, remediation will be delayed and equity and accountability efforts will be distorted across K–12 systems.