Frequently Asked Questions

A grade curve is a statistical adjustment applied to test or exam scores to shift the final distribution. Teachers use it when an exam is unexpectedly difficult, resulting in a class average far below historical standards. Curving helps compensate for test design flaws without changing the relative performance rank of students.

The Texas Curve uses the formula 10 × √Raw Score. It is a non-linear grading boost that benefits students with lower raw grades much more than students who scored high. For example, a raw grade of 36% increases by 24 points to 60%, whereas a raw grade of 81% increases by only 9 points to 90%. This prevents grade inflation at the top while offering progress margins for borderline failing grades.

Forced distribution grading (the Bell Curve) fits class grades to a standard normal distribution. Instead of adjusting numerical scores directly, it assigns letter grades based on ranking percentiles. Typically, the instructor decides that only a fixed percentage of students can receive each letter grade (e.g., Top 10% get an A, next 20% get a B, next 40% get a C, etc.). Our calculator implements this with custom percentile sliders and handles tie raw scores fairly.

No. Your privacy is a priority. All calculations, parsing of student lists, and distribution chart creations are processed 100% locally in your browser using JavaScript. No grade data is ever transmitted, uploaded, or saved to our servers.

A Target Mean Curve shifts all class grades by a constant value so that the final average matches a specified percentage (e.g., 78% or C+). It is calculated by finding the difference between your current class raw mean and your target mean, then adding that difference to every student. It is ideal for departments that require standard averages across multiple classrooms or sections.

Yes. Once raw scores are computed, you can click “Export CSV” to download the entire class comparison spreadsheet, or click “Copy” to copy the tab-delimited grades table directly to your clipboard for easy pasting into Excel, Google Sheets, or Canvas grading folders.