Figure 3. Overall letter grade distributions by semester fall 2013 – spring 2016
An analysis of grades issued for fall 2013 and spring 2016 yielded the results in Table 1 (See Appendix A). In the fall semesters, 79.1% of those students with a mid-term grade of A subsequently received a final grade of A for spring, the percentage was 80%. For the fall semester, a mid-term grade of A was indicative in 94% of the cases of a final grade of A or B (for the spring term the result was the same).
The variation in the mid-term grades is quite similar for the two semesters: for example, 81% of the students earning a C at mid-term finished with a B, C or D. The data demonstrate that the grade issued at mid-term, for the vast majority of courses, was strongly predictive of the student's final grade in the class.
Have grade distributions at Kentucky State University changed over the period from fall of 2013 through spring of 2016?
Yes. There has been a positive trend showing an increase in students earning A, B, and C grades at midterm and the end of the course 2013 through 2016. Much of that increase appears to a gradual but steady increase in the percentage of A grades awarded along with a corresponding decline in the percent of F grades. Typically, a higher percentage of A grades are awarded for spring semester courses than in fall courses. While F grades tend to be somewhat more common in fall semesters than in spring semesters, grade averages across all courses are generally higher in the spring than fall semesters at Kentucky State University.
To improve retention and graduation rates among first year students, the university must focus on ensuring that students are successful in the core areas. Alteration and
[11]