What happens if a middle schooler fails a class?
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Anonymous
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First time middle school parent here and I do t know how things work. (And I forget from my own time in MS/HS.)
All of a sudden DS is *really* failing a core class, language arts, and his teacher isn’t sure he will bounce back enough to pass, and she’s very strict and by the book and won’t allow late work, re-do’s or extra credit. He’s never had major issues and didn’t have an issue last quarter in the same class with the same teacher, he got a C+. He majorly slacked on two papers, didn’t turn in rough drafts, and these papers were major parts of his grade. He currently has an E/41%. Everyone keeps telling me that MS is when kids learn about the expectations they will have in HS, and not to worry. But that’s easy to say when your kid isn’t failing. Do they combine the quarters for the semester grade to determine if he passes the course? Do they combine both semesters to determine? I can’t remember. This quarter is over in like 10 school days, so I don’t have a lot of hope. Will DS be looking at summer school? Or do we still have a chance to turn this around? |
Anonymous
| At our middle school, nothing major happens actually. They have some type of intervention the failing kids attend after school (with teachers, counselors, principals) and they help/sit with them to redo assignments to get grade above passing at least. I’d email the counselor to ask how it is handled at your school. |
Anonymous
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Totally depends on the school. Public or private school? Also, which school district if public.
It's really hard to fail in public school. They don't have the $ or teachers for your kid to go to summer school. If your kid can pull it together for the rest of the year they *should* be able to squeak by. Private? All bets are off but there is a real possibility they could fail. |
Anonymous
| Yes, he can turn it around but you need to monitor everything and help. |
Anonymous
| It goes on their Permanent Record. From then on, each time they enter a new class their teacher mentions it in front of the entire class and makes them wear a Dunce Cap and sit in the corner of the room. If they even somehow manage to graduate from HS at all they are required by law to put on their resume that they failed a class in 6th grade. Also, when they apply for a mortgage it must be disclosed. |
Anonymous
| If he got a C+ for the first quarter it’s not possible to fail the class. |
Anonymous
| It's just one term and it's MS. It's not even a HS course. Relax. |
Anonymous
| So really strict is what was normal in school 10+ years ago? This is how it should be. |
Anonymous
It’s more than common for kids to be given a lot of grace in MS. It’s really odd this teacher is an outlier. |
Anonymous
| In FCPS, they will be invited to some sort of summer program which is actually optional. Depending on the school, many kids could get invited since so many turn it down. If you go or don’t go, nothing changes for 9th grade since it’s open enrollment. Your kid can take any class and middle school ELA courses won’t be on a transcript. |
Anonymous
This. My 7th grader was slacking in a couple of his classes, so now I’m all over it. I check his assignments in the portal each day and make sure he’s getting them done on time — and actually turning them in. |
Anonymous
| nothing happens anymore |
Anonymous
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Did they pass 1st quarter?
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Anonymous
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My view (as a parent of upper HS and college students) is that middle school teachers who are "very strict and by the book and won’t allow late work, re-do’s or extra credit" are sadists in some degree. I'm not joking when I write this, either. These are 12-13 year old kids. Their minds, skills, and hearts are in development. They are not able to work and think like high school and college kids. There should be no zero sum mentality in 6th or 7th grade. That is wrong.
I'm on your kid's side here. You should be, too. |
Anonymous
| What grade? If 8th, it could impact what classes he can take in high school. If 6th or 7th…there would be no impact in our district |