The Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy’s grade normalization policy — commonly referred to by students as the “Batten Curve” — has remained a recurring point of discussion among Batten students. While some students say the curve has not significantly impacted their grades, many students said it is occasionally unclear when and how the curve will be applied, and some worry it might deter underclassmen from applying to the school.
Under the policy, Batten courses are guided by a grade normalization standard that aims for a class-wide mean GPA of approximately 3.5, rather than grading solely on raw scores or percentages.
A policy statement listed on all Batten course syllabi states, “The Frank Batten School has a grade distribution practice, with an emphasis on a well-distributed range of grades. Batten courses aim to have a mean grade that does not exceed a 3.5 grade point average.”…