Kid Got Screwed on GPA

[Anonymous]

8th grade DS had nearly straight As in 7th grade. COntinuing in every class in 8th grade. Applying to Walls, which does this GPA-rank-ordered applicant pooling, if I understand materials correctly.

Key question: will DS get a chance somewhere to explain how his teacher screwed him out of straight As in two classes? Or does the pooling just go straight by the numbers, and a 3.9x kid loses out because the 4.0 pool is big enough to make an entire class?

How we got here: DS has two A-minuses from a teacher who didn't let him redo assignments when he was out of school due to DCPS sports. The teacher gave him the grade-destroying in-class-assignment minimum grade. He still got A minuses even with like a "60-fail" on these "uncompleted" assignments - this kid did everything right when he a chance to do assignments).

This teacher was very intimidating when we asked DS to self-advocate. The teacher told him he couldn't get the assignments and do them, even though this was verified by AP as contra policy. (I believe the policy has changed this year, but not entirely). When we the parents asked, this teacher said it was too late (weeks before end of session, twice).

And it seemed like the teacher never cared about anybody else either. DS said the teacher would hand out worksheets and look at her phone most classes. And I say this next with sympathy, this teacher (per DS) also took an ungodly amount of "mental health days" which I bet were needed if management had any idea how the teacher was "performing."

This year, this teacher's not at that school any more, i.e., got fired or whatever rigamarole DCPS does. Looked up the teacher's name, and the teacher is a substitute, i.e., couldn't even get hired for a permanent position.

I'd love to give a (highly sanitized, non-splenetic/not-for-DCUM) explanation of how interactions with one teacher over a couple assignments that the teacher handled inappropriately were the difference between being in the straight-As-pool and not. Do you think that DCPS (or myschooldc?/OSSE?) will have a way to address something like this?

If not, I guess we just have to shrug and move on. But it's one more reason to remember that DCPS is another bureaucracy and we're subject to how bureaucracies deal with their internal incompetencies (they don't have to care, common sense or policy don't win the day necessarily, they don't have to fix anybody's problems, and citizens always bear the negative results).

[Anonymous]

Did you go to the principal of the school? If the teacher was acting contra policy and was then fired, I would move to get grades changed.

[Anonymous]

This is why I only believe in self-advocating (by the kid) up to a point. Stakes are too high to leave it up to a kid to deal with a bad/non-responsive teacher. But, that is water under the bridge. For what it is worth, cut off last year was 3.87 - so your kid will be okay if it remains roughly the same. Otherwise there wasn't any way in the past to provide an explanation for grades - they are what they are, and they go into computer sorting/line-drawing (automated) system . . . .

[Anonymous]

You have to address this with the Principal.

[Anonymous]

There is a process for appealing grades, but it looks like you're too late now

https://dcps.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dcps/page_content/attachments/Secondary-Grading-and-Reporting-Policy-8621.pdf

[Anonymous]

I would just let it ride out. You're too late to appeal the grades and writing some sort of amendment on his Walls application is not going to go over well. You might as well be writing "Red alert: student and parent are potential PITA!" (even if you are not at all the truth has a HIGH potential to be lost in translation).

The good new is that your kid should be fine with a 3.9! And if not, console yourself that Walls is not some sort of perfect prize. It has it's warts just like any other DCPS.

[Anonymous]

OP we had a near identical situation in 7th grade (kid is now in 9th) and I would have thought it could be the same teacher except that this teacher sadly does still work at the school. Ended up with a 3.9 and got in to Walls. I feel like it is unlikely that there are enough 4.0s to knock your kid out of a spot but he will probably be called on round 2 of the interviews so try not to sweat it too much. Once he is called for an interview the playing field is even regardless of GPA.

[Anonymous]

I think 3.9 should be enough. Yes, there are enough 4.0s to fill the class, but they won't all choose to attend Walls, and that's what really matters.

[Anonymous]

This year, I believe that the two recommendation letters are also considered in addition to the GPA in the first round.

[Anonymous]

We had a similar situation with ineffective 7th grade math teacher. I think when enough people complained or they realized how poorly kids were doing, the administration intervened. But because the kids were so far behind, only one test counted for 40% of the grade and my kid didn’t do well (despite 93-100s on all other assignments), they ended up with a B+. There was nothing we could do. Hoping it doesn’t impact chances for Walls but we’ll see.

[Anonymous]

Walls doesn't even seem like a great school. I went to the open house and it was highly disorganized.

The admissions presentation was done in a crowded hallway and the presenter's microphone wasn't working, and I could barely hear her, let alone the questions being asked.

There was no map showing you where the presentation rooms were, and when I asked people supposedly hosting the tour, even they didn't know.

Overall, I was left with a very poor impression of the school.

[Anonymous]

I’m surprised by all those who are defending the parent . Difficult teachers are a fact of life and As are not guaranteed. Sounds like your kid legitimately fell short. Concerning how everyone expects teachers to serve them in this way .

[Anonymous]

I am sympathetic to the situation, but everyone draws the short stick at times in life and you just need to go on at this point. My DD had a stomach bug the day of the PSATs and missed NMSF by one point. Still got into a great school.. If your kid had a C I might try to note it to the HS somehow, but for A-...no. You will just sound like a complainer.

[Anonymous]

How did your kid get screwed?

[Anonymous]

Zero sympathy you put sports over academics
Move along