Grading

Step 1. Identify indicators

Measuring Up is built on a foundation of 30 quantitative indicators. Each performance category—preparation, participation, affordability, completion, and benefits—has several indicators. All of these indicators:

Step 2. Weight indicators

Each indicator is assigned a mathematical weight based on its importance to the performance category—as informed by research and policy experience. For each category the sum of all weights is 100%.

Step 3. Identify top states for each indicator

State results on each indicator are converted to a scale of 0 to 100, using the top five states as the benchmark. This conversion—called indexing—is a statistical method that allows for accurate comparisons of different measures. In Measuring Up 2000, the median of the top five states (or the third best state) scores 100. This establishes a high, but achievable standard of performance on each indicator.

Step 4. Identify best state for each category

State scores for each category are calculated from the state’s index scores on the indicators and the indicators’ weights. In each category, the sum of all the index scores on the indicators times the weights of the indicators is the raw category score for the state. These raw category scores are then converted to a scale of 0 to 100 based on the performance of the top state in the category.

Step 5. Assign grades

Grades are assigned based on the category index scores, using a grading scale common in many high school and college classes.

Grading Scale