Get Score Statistics

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnly/destructive/idempotent, and the description adds a genuinely new trait: results may be absent because of privacy gating and a minimum-graded threshold. 'Read-only' is redundant with readOnlyHint, and it does not say what is returned when statistics are suppressed, so it falls short of a 5.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Three short sentences: what it returns, safety, and the gating condition — all front-loaded with zero filler. The parenthetical field list does real work rather than restating the name.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

No output schema exists, so the description carries the return-shape burden, and it names the fields returned plus the main failure mode. It could still say what happens when stats are suppressed (empty result vs. error), which is the one gap an agent would hit in practice.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100% and both parameters already document their source (list_courses, list_assignments/list_upcoming_assignments). The description adds no format or edge-case detail beyond the schema, which is the expected baseline.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

Specific verb+resource ('class statistics for an assignment') plus an explicit inventory of the values returned (mean, min, max, quartiles, own score). That clearly separates it from siblings like get_all_grades or get_my_assignment_analytics, which report the caller's own data rather than class-wide distribution.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

It gives an availability precondition ('only shows these once enough students are graded and if the instructor allows it'), which is useful, but never says when to prefer this over get_my_assignment_analytics or get_course_grade_breakdown. The agent must infer the choice from the purpose line alone.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.