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<p>You mentioned that your own 8th grader gets good grades in Algebra but does not understand the concepts thoroughly. If you tried to get extra help for her from the school, they would look at you as though horns had sprouted on your head. The system does not seem to recognize that a student who is getting As and Bs might have academic difficulties.</p>
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<p>Grading reflects a mix of things – not all of which relate to whether or not the student understands basic concepts.</p>