Taking classes for high school credit in middle school

[Anonymous]

My child took a foreign language this year in sixth grade. We've just received DC's report card and child earned straight As, but because of getting a B on the final exam in the foreign language, and even though child earned As in two quarters this year (Bs the other quarters) in that subject, the overall grade for the year is B.

That B is the only grade that will be part of child's high school transcript. None of the other grades will matter when it comes time to apply to colleges (SEVEN years from now). But, that B will matter.

There is nothing wrong with a B. It is a perfectly respectable grade. I don't have any problem with child's efforts or results achieved.

BUT.

That said, what kind of a crazy system takes an eleven-year-old's foreign-language grade into account for a high school transcript?

[Anonymous]

The high-school college counnselor can note to the colleges that the B was in a foreign-language course that your child took six years earlier as a sixth-grader. This will be relevant only if your child by senior yeart has all or almost all A's. If he has a lot of B's, won't the issue be moot?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The high-school college counnselor can note to the colleges that the B was in a foreign-language course that your child took six years earlier as a sixth-grader. This will be relevant only if your child by senior yeart has all or almost all A's. If he has a lot of B's, won't the issue be moot?

Yes, you are right. Child is a good student and if child does have mostly As, that B he got at age 11 can be explained (if that's necessary; I would hope not).

What I don't understand is, why does MCPS push college-relevant classes down to the level of work done at ELEVEN years old? It's crazy.

[Anonymous]

This started years ago when middle schoolers didn't get hs credit for taking foreign language, and many of them would start over with level one of the language in 9th grade for the "easy A" - losing their chance to go far in the language and also driving the teachers crazy because they had already had a couple of years and were bored. I know, I was a hs Spanish teacher at the time, and it was horrendous. It's great that students start their foreign language early; it's much easier to learn and it gives them a real shot at fluency if they can study for 5, 6, or 7 years - and the B in grade six won't matter in college admissions.

[Anonymous]

We're in the same boat. DC's grades just came today, and DC has a B in a GS- level language. I get that the goal is to discourage kids repeating in HS.

Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of confidence in MCPS college counselors (a) really caring whether 1 of their 250 charges has a B, that had to be the least of their problems, or (b) if they do care, having the time to flag it to colleges (how? Write a special letter?). My older SC just started HS in MCPS, and from my experience to date with the guidance counselor, I doubt they have a process for this.

[Anonymous]

Sorry about the typos!

[Anonymous]

Isn't there some way you can petition to have the grade removed from the child's high school transcript?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn't there some way you can petition to have the grade removed from the child's high school transcript?

What if you left the school district -- would another school count those grades on a high school transcript?

[Anonymous]

You don't have to take a foreign language in middle school so if you are choosing to do this, you know that the grade will count.

[Anonymous]

My kid also got a B in foreign language in grade 6. A's for two quarters, B's for two quarters, but fell down on the final, so it's a B. The two courses my kid got Bs in were the two courses that had maternity-leave substitutes introduced 3/4 of the way through the year. DC was really frustrated by one of the subs; said lots of students were having trouble understanding the work. Hard to say where the "blame" lies, but those are the facts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This started years ago when middle schoolers didn't get hs credit for taking foreign language, and many of them would start over with level one of the language in 9th grade for the "easy A" - losing their chance to go far in the language and also driving the teachers crazy because they had already had a couple of years and were bored. I know, I was a hs Spanish teacher at the time, and it was horrendous. It's great that students start their foreign language early; it's much easier to learn and it gives them a real shot at fluency if they can study for 5, 6, or 7 years - and the B in grade six won't matter in college admissions.

I understand this, but there are other ways to address that issue. The system could bar high school freshmen from re-taking beginning-level foreign language if they have already taken them (as the school system I attended did).

This seems like an overreaction to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You don't have to take a foreign language in middle school so if you are choosing to do this, you know that the grade will count.

OP here.

Well, this is obvious - we all know that.

The point is that it seems over-the-top for an 11yo to either take no foreign language, or have the grade count towards college applications SEVEN years from now.

If the system wants to encourage students to learn foreign language, this isn't the way to do it.

[Anonymous]

Why not audit the class instead of opting for a grade? Afterall it's the passion for language and knowledge gained that counts and not the grade.

[Anonymous]

If the poster of the question is indeed truthfull she should acknowledge that her son and her were informed if the middle school child took the high school course that the grade would appear on his high school transcript. Both were aware of the consequences before the child enrolled. Why wasn't this matter resolved then. Of course, now that he did not get the A grade anticipated we have a case a sour grapes and a need to retroactively change the rules for her son. What about about other children who not only that languages but math and sciences in the MCPS high schools while in middle school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the poster of the question is indeed truthfull she should acknowledge that her son and her were informed if the middle school child took the high school course that the grade would appear on his high school transcript. Both were aware of the consequences before the child enrolled. Why wasn't this matter resolved then. Of course, now that he did not get the A grade anticipated we have a case a sour grapes and a need to retroactively change the rules for her son. What about about other children who not only that languages but math and sciences in the MCPS high schools while in middle school?

OP here. You are overreading, and ASSuming problems, issues, and intent that are not there.

No sour grapes here. Obviously we went into this with open eyes. There was no "matter" to resolve last fall, or for that matter this spring. I have no issue with his grade; it's perfectly respectable.

The point of starting this thread - as I said above - My issue is with the system in general - not with my child's particular situation. I think it's stupid for any school system to set things up this way. In the case of MCPS, I imagine it's a symptom of Jerry Weast's unnatural obsession with all things College.

In any case, thanks to those who posted helpful comments.