Why we changed the way we grade

Calvary Preparatory Academy has made some important changes to how students are graded. This page explains why — and why it matters for you.

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”

Colossians 3:23

Something important changed in the world

For a long time, schools measured student learning using quizzes, tests, worksheets, and written assignments. That worked well when the only way to complete an assignment was to actually do the work yourself.

But today, AI tools like ChatGPT are free and easy for anyone to use. A student can type a question into one of these tools and get back a finished essay, a completed worksheet, or even quiz answers — in seconds. The problem is that a teacher looking at that work often cannot tell whether the student wrote it or an AI did.

This means grades based only on submitted work can no longer be trusted to tell the full story of what a student actually knows.

"The real question is no longer whether the work got done. It is whether the student actually learned anything."

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AI can do the work

Essays, worksheets, and projects can be created by AI tools in seconds — and they often look just like real student work.

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Grades stopped meaning much

A high score on a submitted assignment no longer proves a student understood the material — only that the assignment was turned in.

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Catching cheaters isn't the answer

Trying to catch every student who uses AI puts teachers and students against each other — and misses the whole point of learning.

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Character was never graded

The old system only measured academic scores. It never gave credit for faith, honesty, community involvement, or growth as a person.

CPA chose a better path

Instead of trying to catch students using AI — which is a battle no school can win — CPA asked a bigger question: what does it really mean to learn something? And how do we give students credit for the things that matter most?

The answer goes back to who CPA has always been. Our school has always believed that education is about shaping the whole person — not just filling in test answers. Our mission, our core values, and our statement of faith all describe students who are faithful, honest, thoughtful, and growing. Our grading system should match those beliefs.

The old way rewarded turning things in

Points were given for submitting work. Whether a student actually understood it — or did it themselves — was mostly assumed, not checked.

The new way rewards real learning

Points are now earned by showing up, being prepared, talking through what you learned with your teacher, participating in the community, and living out your values. Turning in an assignment is only a small part of the grade.

The old way made teachers into checkers

Teachers spent time grading stacks of assignments — never fully sure if the work was genuine — instead of spending that time actually teaching.

The new way makes teachers mentors

Teachers now spend their time in real conversations with students — asking questions, encouraging growth, and investing in the whole person. The weekly meeting is where real learning gets proven.

The old way ignored character

Faith, honesty, serving others, and growing as a person were encouraged — but they never showed up in your grade.

The new way honors the whole student

Your faith in action, your daily engagement, your meeting preparation, and your demonstrated learning all carry real weight in your grade now — because CPA has always believed that is what education is really about.

This is who CPA has always been

This is not a reaction to a trend. It is a return to our founding beliefs. CPA's core learning goals describe students who are faith-filled, self-directed, thoughtful, tech-savvy, strong communicators, and academically prepared — in that order. Our new grading model is built to recognize all six of those qualities, not just the last one.