Grade Point Averages.

This article discusses the cumulative grade-point average or GPA, which is a criterion measure of students' overall academic performance. Cumulative GPA is also a statistically significant predictor of high school students' future performance, academic achievement, and success in postsecondary education. GPAs are used by high schools to determine students' eligibility for coursework and various incentives; colleges and universities use them to determine applicant's eligibility for admission. However, GPAs are norm-referenced within schools, and are, therefore relative measurements, the significance of which can vary across schools, districts, and states. The past twenty-five years have seen a rise in high school graduates' GPAs, though this rise has not been linked to actual achievement, leaving high schools open to charges of grade inflation.