Evidence of grade inflation in U.S. high schools is often misinterpreted due to confusion about how grade inflation is, or should be, defined. This note reduces the confusion by introducing a typology of grade inflation and discussing the implications of each type. We then provide empirical examples of each type of grade inflation using transcript and test-score data from Algebra I classes in North Carolina over a recent ten-year period. Year-specific (static) grade inflation has been, and remains, higher in schools serving relatively disadvantaged student populations; however, differential changes over the past ten years (what we term dynamic grade inflation) have significantly narrowed the socioeconomic gap in static grade inflation.

由于对年级通胀的定义或定义感到困惑，美国高中年级通胀的证据经常被误解。本注释通过引入等级通货膨胀的类型并讨论每种类型的含义来减少混乱。然后，我们使用最近十年来使用北卡罗莱纳州代数I类的成绩单和考试成绩数据，提供每种年级通货膨胀的经验示例。在服务于相对弱势学生群体的学校中，按年计的（静态）年级通货膨胀率一直而且仍然较高；但是，过去十年的差异变化（我们称之为动态等级通货膨胀）大大缩小了静态等级通货膨胀的社会经济差距。