Final Score & Final Grade being calculated incorrectly for courses using new gradebook and dropping lowest grade

[dave-long]

Hi Canvas Admins, 

I wanted to share this issue with the wider group, as I haven't found this issue mentioned in any of the communications about issues from the July 13th release.  Let me know if I've missed this somewhere.  We've been back and forth with Canvas Support about how the Final Score and Final Grades for a course can be wrong when using an assignment group that drops the lowest score in a course when the course uses the new gradebook.

The steps to reproduce this are:  

1. In a course using the new gradebook, create a course with two assignments, both in the same assignment group.
   • Optionally, set a grade scheme for the course as well 
2. Set the assignment group to drop one lowest score 
3. Enter grades for students for one assignment (either one, doesn't seem to matter) 
4. Leave the other assignment blank 
5. Export grades to csv 
6. Note that Final Score is 50 / 100 for those students
7. Hide each assignment
8. Post grades for each assignment 
9. Export grades to csv 
10. Note that Final Score is now 100 / 100 for those students

If you try the steps above, do you get the same results?  Using a test course, I was able to reproduce the issue using two test accounts, see the attached "Drop rule not working - case 04487359 - examples of reproducing final_score issue.png" screenshot for a comparison of the csv file I got from step 6 and then step 10. 

If you try the steps above in the old gradebook, what differences do you observe? When I tested thi in the old gradebook, the final score/grade remains the same between steps 6 and 10.

Prior to the 2019-07-13 release, we were on the new gradebook for all courses and had courses using this mode of grading which did not see this issue, so something changed with the July 13th release.

The failure scenario I'm worried about here is that an instructor drops the lowest assignment from an assignment group, doesn't do the "hide-then-post" dance, and then choses to export the final_score / final_grade value to the registrar system (they can choose which one to send at Iowa), resulting students getting a wrong grade.

Iowa's support case with Canvas Support is 04487359.  If you are concerned about Final Score & Final Grade being calculated incorrectly (which, any issue with how grades are calculated is a major concern IMHO), I encourage you to contact Canvas Support to open a ticket and contact your CSM to escalate this issue.

Thanks!

-Dave

[debra_mansperge]

I don't suppose that you have found a fix for this, have you?  I can do it manually in Excel, but I have 5 assignment groups and special rules for 2 of them - and limited time.