In recent years, a disturbing trend has surfaced in both K-12 education and higher learning institutions, pointing to systemic issues that disproportionately affect boys. While many factors contribute to this crisis, recent studies have uncovered one of the leading culprits: inaccurate grading practices. Boys, who have historically been more vulnerable to these grading discrepancies, are now facing severe personal, emotional, and economic consequences, including an alarming rise in suicide rates.
The Bad Grading Epidemic
A study published by KQED highlights a startling fact: nearly 6 out of 10 middle and high school students receive incorrect grades. These inaccuracies often reflect subjective evaluations rather than actual performance, and boys have been the primary victims of these flawed grading systems. This has long-term consequences on their academic motivation, self-esteem, and future opportunities.
The research confirms what many have long suspected—boys, in particular, are suffering from a system that often punishes them for behavioral differences or learning styles that do not conform to traditional classroom expectations. As a result, many young boys are disillusioned with school and disconnected from the learning process.
The Emotional and Psychological Toll
The consequences of this bad grading system go beyond just academic performance. Emotionally, the boys who bear the brunt of this system are feeling hopeless. According to the CDC, suicides have skyrocketed to an alarming rate of 50,000 per year—a figure three times higher than previous norms. The suicide rate among males in 2022 was approximately four times higher than the rate among females. Males make up 50% of the population but nearly 80% of suicides. The CDC refers to this tragic trend as “Death by Despair,” indicating that, among other issues, many young men are internalizing their perceived failures in school and society, leading them to take drastic measures.
The Impact on Higher Education
For years, the problems with K-12 education seemed isolated to the earlier stages of learning, but now, the ripple effects are wreaking havoc on higher education. Over the last six months, the fallout from bad grading and disengagement is starting to punish colleges and universities in ways never seen before.
- A College Closes Every Week
According to a Washington Post report a college or university in the United States now closes approximately once a week. The ongoing decline in enrollment has created financial strain on institutions, forcing them to shut down entirely. This educational crisis reflects not only the disengagement of students but also the growing unsustainability of higher education.
- Enrollment Down by 1.2 Million Students
Since 2014, college enrollment has dropped by 1.2 million students according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Of these missing students, a staggering 83% are males—equating to 1.0 million young men who have opted out of higher education altogether. This decline is directly connected to the disengagement boys experience earlier in their educational journey. They are dropping out emotionally long before they reach college age.
- Mass Faculty Layoffs
Inside Higher Ed reported in August 2024 that mass faculty layoffs have begun, marking a new era in higher education. The inability of universities to retain students, particularly young men, is leading to severe cuts in tenured faculty and shrinking academic departments. The economic strain on institutions is mirroring the emotional and psychological strain on the students they failed to support.
The Way Forward: Addressing the Needs of Boys
This alarming data points to the urgent need for reform in how we grade and engage students, particularly boys. If left unchecked, the situation will only worsen. The disengagement of young men in education is already leading to massive losses in higher education, layoffs for educators, and, most tragically, the loss of young lives.
Reforming grading practices to reflect more accurate, objective assessments is a crucial step in addressing the educational gender gap. Schools and educators must also adopt more inclusive teaching methods that recognize and accommodate the different ways boys learn and engage with academic material. Only then can we begin to reverse the growing tide of despair that so many boys are drowning in.
By addressing these systemic issues, we have the potential to restore hope and opportunity to a generation of young men and, in turn, stabilize the higher education system that depends on their participation. Without such reforms, we risk further devastation—for our students, our institutions, and society as a whole.
William A. Draves is the President of Learning Resources Network (LERN). LERN is the leading association in lifelong learning programming in the world, serving over 1,000 organizations every year.