APS Most Likely Moving to Standards-Based Grading/Grading for Equity Next School Year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The elimination of extra credit. That must be designed to say, no more freebies for wealthy/UMC families who have the time and resources to complete those projects. On this point, I applaud you, leaders of APS!

Little kids sure maybe that's true but once kids get to upper grades "extra credit" is meant to help kids who might fail because they have done nothing all year and this gives them a way to do something easier and get credit and pass. The kids who are already doing well won't bother as it won't really help them if they already have an A

I haven't read the book. What is the difference between allowing extra credit assignments vs. allowing kids multiple chances to take a test or complete an assignment late? They both seem like different ways a kid can make up for underperforming or just declining to do the work already given.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The elimination of extra credit. That must be designed to say, no more freebies for wealthy/UMC families who have the time and resources to complete those projects. On this point, I applaud you, leaders of APS!

Little kids sure maybe that's true but once kids get to upper grades "extra credit" is meant to help kids who might fail because they have done nothing all year and this gives them a way to do something easier and get credit and pass. The kids who are already doing well won't bother as it won't really help them if they already have an A

I haven't read the book. What is the difference between allowing extra credit assignments vs. allowing kids multiple chances to take a test or complete an assignment late? They both seem like different ways a kid can make up for underperforming or just declining to do the work already given.

Extra credit is usually the over achievers trying to turn a 98 into a 100. Test retaking can that, but it's also a kid trying to turn a failing grade into a passing grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here we go again…competing parents groups will be formed, accusations will be made, petitions will be circulated, “economists” will be consulted, votes will be postponed, etc. On and on it goes.

It's the Arlington Way.

Doubt there will be a competing group. Arlington is full of parents who busted ass to get here and they are going to be pretty skeptical of this approach, which essentially says they did it wrong.

Arlington is also full of wealthy progressive parents who will not want to publicly oppose this. Behind the scenes, some will express concern. Others won’t care.

Well, I sure as hell hope the SB who pulled his kid to private FOR THIS REASOn publicly opposes it rather than just b****ing about it on the soccer sidelines and making things okay for his own.

SBG for ES makes sense, as long as teachers are trained on how to implement it and there are very clear and consistent rules across APS. And yes, there needs to be more standardization across APS, even within schools, but that can be accomplished without SBG. This is another “balanced literacy” moment. Stop experimenting on our kids, you godd*** monsters! SBG at the secondary level will just mask inequality, while it grows, rather than addressing the root causes, and will NOT prepare kids for the world beyond APS, where they will be measured by both their effort and the end result.

+1 well said

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A SB member pulled for private because of this?? I didn’t know that. Is that true?

+1

Because of specifically this? I’m finding that very hard to believe.

Cite or remove this rumor.

[Anonymous]

Standards based grading is fine for elementary school kids but c’mon — middle school and high school kids need grades to help them get ready for college. I agree with a PP who said that APS is racing toward the bottom and that it’s driving families who can afford to send kids to private to do that. It is creating more inequity. Who is driving this insanity?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Standards based grading is fine for elementary school kids but c’mon — middle school and high school kids need grades to help them get ready for college. I agree with a PP who said that APS is racing toward the bottom and that it’s driving families who can afford to send kids to private to do that. It is creating more inequity. Who is driving this insanity?

I don’t think it’s a mystery who is behind these changes.

[Anonymous]

I get the extra credit stuff. But a 50% for an assignment you never even did? No way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Standards based grading is fine for elementary school kids but c’mon — middle school and high school kids need grades to help them get ready for college. I agree with a PP who said that APS is racing toward the bottom and that it’s driving families who can afford to send kids to private to do that. It is creating more inequity. Who is driving this insanity?

I don’t think it’s a mystery who is behind these changes.

Who? Please tell us. This move started years ago and most of the top leadership has turned over since then.

[Anonymous]

Welcome to the new social justice reality. I know it’s nice to dream and pretend we live in a utopia. When reality hits post graduation we’ll see how all these coddling policies pans out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I get the extra credit stuff. But a 50% for an assignment you never even did? No way.

Many districts now have grading scales that start at 50%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Standards based grading is fine for elementary school kids but c’mon — middle school and high school kids need grades to help them get ready for college. I agree with a PP who said that APS is racing toward the bottom and that it’s driving families who can afford to send kids to private to do that. It is creating more inequity. Who is driving this insanity?

I actually think SBG is terrible for young kids. Young kids especially need concrete structures they easily understand. SBG is too complex and, if done properly, too nuanced with the teachers' comments and evaluation against various rubrics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Welcome to the new social justice reality. I know it’s nice to dream and pretend we live in a utopia. When reality hits post graduation we’ll see how all these coddling policies pans out.

Ah, but don't you see that this is achieving equity by bringing down the "privileged" rather than fixing the problems and addressing the obstacles that keep the underprivileged from rising up? It's a much easier solution to the performance gaps!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Welcome to the new social justice reality. I know it’s nice to dream and pretend we live in a utopia. When reality hits post graduation we’ll see how all these coddling policies pans out.

Ah, but don't you see that this is achieving equity by bringing down the "privileged" rather than fixing the problems and addressing the obstacles that keep the underprivileged from rising up? It's a much easier solution to the performance gaps!

China is going to kick our frickin' a s ses. Sometimes I'm glad I'll be dead soon but I feel bad for the kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Welcome to the new social justice reality. I know it’s nice to dream and pretend we live in a utopia. When reality hits post graduation we’ll see how all these coddling policies pans out.

Ah, but don't you see that this is achieving equity by bringing down the "privileged" rather than fixing the problems and addressing the obstacles that keep the underprivileged from rising up? It's a much easier solution to the performance gaps!

this is called "crabs in a bucket mentality" and it's the only way that these equity policies operate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Welcome to the new social justice reality. I know it’s nice to dream and pretend we live in a utopia. When reality hits post graduation we’ll see how all these coddling policies pans out.

Ah, but don't you see that this is achieving equity by bringing down the "privileged" rather than fixing the problems and addressing the obstacles that keep the underprivileged from rising up? It's a much easier solution to the performance gaps!

This was a exactly it. Equity of outcomes. They are so proud when they "close the gap" but don't mention it is by lowering the standards.