School MCP

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

With no annotations provided, description carries full burden. It explains the threshold filtering behavior but omits critical behavioral details: what constitutes the grade value (current vs final?), return format structure, and behavior when no courses match the threshold.

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?

Two well-constructed sentences. First sentence front-loads the core action; second adds usage value without redundancy. No filler or tautology.

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?

Adequate for a single-parameter tool with full schema coverage, but lacks return value description needed given the absence of an output schema (doesn't indicate whether it returns course names, IDs, or detailed grade objects).

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%, so baseline is 3. Description mentions 'given grade threshold' which conceptually aligns with the parameter, but adds no syntax details, valid ranges, or semantic clarification beyond what the schema already provides.

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?

Clear specific verb (Get) + resource (courses/grades) with scope constraint (below threshold). The name and description together effectively distinguish this as a filtered/risk-identification view versus siblings like get_grade_details or get_grade_summary which presumably return comprehensive data.

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?

Provides implied usage context ('Useful for quickly finding classes at risk of failing') which suggests when to use it (intervention scenarios). However, lacks explicit 'when not to use' guidance or named alternatives for different grade queries.

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