Comprising mostly succinct expository statements, guidelines, and charts, this presentation attacks many cultural and educational myths in the areas of the grading and grouping of students at the middle school level. It stresses the importance of understanding what intelligence and academic success really are, and suggests ways in which teachers can modify their attitudes and curriculum to help all students achieve academic success. It advocates an inverted pyramid structure of grading, providing as much success as possible for as many students as possible, in as many areas of school as possible. It also criticizes questionable grading practices, such as using varying grade scales, using zeros indiscriminately, failing to match testing to teaching, relying on surprise quizzes, and penalizing students for taking intellectual risks. It suggests remedies for such practices, including consistent and fair grading, letting students know what is expected of them, giving feedback before grades, and encouraging intellectual risk-taking. It suggests that students be grouped according to previous grades and performance, teacher and counselor recommendations, parent and student choice, demographics, and standardized test results. (MDM)