The number of California high school students achieving perfect 4.0 grade-point averages has doubled in the past decade, even as state testing reveals a post-pandemic decline in math and reading comprehension. This trend, described by education experts as a grade-inflation crisis, is reportedly leading to students unprepared for college-level coursework entering the University of California system.
Data from the University of California shows that applicants reporting GPAs of 4.0 or higher increased from 52,989 in 2015 to 103,138 for the class of 2025. A significant portion of this increase occurred between 2020 and 2022, coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Critics point to a "dangerous slide in grading standards," where teachers may be incentivized to award high marks for minimal effort to maintain enrollment and attendance. Glenn Sacks, a social studies teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District, cited an administrator's advice: "Don’t fail too many kids – remember, it’s easier to replace one teacher than 35 students." He noted that pressure on teachers to eliminate failing grades intensified during the pandemic, with significant numbers of failing marks suggesting a need for instructional revision.
Charles Cole, an education advocate who graduated from California high schools in 2001, shared his experience of excelling in high school with high grades, only to require remedial classes at a California State University. Cole, whose organization, Energy Converters, assists underrepresented students, stated that many students with high GPAs are "functionally… not on grade level," often being multiple grade levels behind but possessing the confidence of having graduated with strong marks.
California's Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments for 11th graders reflect these concerns. In the 2024-2025 school year, 57% of students scored proficient in English and 30.5% in math. While scores have slightly improved since their 2021-2022 lows, they remain generally below pre-pandemic levels, according to the state Department of Education.
Marc Zawel, co-founder of admissions consulting group AcceptU, noted that a 4.0 GPA no longer carries the same distinguishing weight it once did. He indicated that the compression of high grades makes it difficult for colleges to accurately assess student readiness. This issue is amplified by the University of California's decision in 2020 to suspend standardized testing requirements for admissions, a move made to address concerns about equity.
More than 1,200 University of California professors have expressed concern in an open letter, stating they are increasingly forced to teach foundational math concepts, even in calculus courses. They are calling for the reinstatement of SAT testing as an admissions requirement.
The shift to online and asynchronous classes during the pandemic, along with the rise of artificial intelligence, is also cited as contributing factors to the decline in academic rigor and the exacerbation of grade inflation. Experts suggest that a return to standardized testing requirements could help disincentivize grade inflation and encourage higher academic standards in high schools.
The University of California system has stated that it is accelerating its timeline to review recommendations on standardized testing, with officials considering the request for reinstatement in the coming year.