The purpose of this qualitative research was to understand the experience of selecting grading practices for a high school math or English classroom. There is no existing research related to understanding this phenomenon. This phenomenological study included three participants who were purposefully selected based on specific criteria: They must teach math or English in grades 9, 10, 11, or 12 and have at least three years of teaching experience. The participants were interviewed using videoconferencing software, and the interviews were recorded and transcribed. Open and axial coding was used to analyze the data. The theoretical framework applied for the interpretation of the findings was Social Learning Theory and Social Cognitive Theory. The participants shared thick, rich data from which eight themes emerged: Communication among stakeholders, student effort, value of learning, minimal education in grades and grading practices, external pressures, grades as motivators, teacher expectations, and reliability and validity in grading practices. Through this research, it became understood that there are many facets of this experience that are all inter-related. Based on the research recommendations were made for professional practice and future research to ignite positive change around this phenomenon.