Equity Grading at local private schools??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I haven’t heard of this at any privates we’ve been at, but it makes a lot of sense. Hear me out.

At our private, privileged kids whose parents went to prep schools or elite colleges know how to work the system. Get a bad grade? Go in to the teacher and say “how can I improve my grade?”. Often, teacher offers an additional assignment or extra credit work. Overwhelmed by travel sports? Parents will often ask ahead for extensions on behalf of the kid.

However, if you’re a first generation private school family or from abroad or a stricter school, you probably have NO idea that you can work the system like this. I think making the secret behind-the-scenes system of grading/assignments/teacher relations public is what makes this “equity”. It’s exposing a shadow system of teacher-student interaction and making it available to all students. Kind of brilliant!

Interesting… making the playing field more even…

[Anonymous]

Our school's system: everything counts, including daily homework and class participation; tests are graded on a curve and weighted higher, especially midterms and finals. No do overs. One or two teachers have used rubrics for papers. One or two have allowed a paper to be one day late, but with a significant grade penalty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I recently became aware that the high school of my child's indepdent school (child is younger) has started an equity grading program.
According to the school newspaper,
"Students are allowed to retake any major assessments; teachers must provide a rubric for major assignments; students must not be given a grade lower than 50%; and students are not penalized for submitting assignments late, as long as it is submitted within four weeks of the due date. "

Apparently guided by this:
https://gradingforequity.org/
https://www.educationnext.org/time-to-pull-plug-on-traditional-grading-supporters-say-mastery-based-grading-could-promote-equity/

I'm a little confused, to be diplomatic. I mean, a rubric for major assignments seems reasonable...

Is this happening at other local private schools too?

What are you confused about?

If you are not confused but trying to dog whistle, that's not diplomatic at all.

Genuinely confused, esp about the 50 percent minimum and the seeming lack of any hard deadlines. I'm trying to balance the focus on learning/mastery vs. Teaching/reinforcing basic responsibility/following deadlines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I genuinely can't wait to employ these kids in the labor force when they're done with college.

Boss: We're going to need to submit the purchase order to the market by 4 pm today.

New Employee: Ok (realizing that there are no real issues with waiting to do this until 4 weeks after the due date)

... 8 weeks later.

Boss: Wow! That transaction really made our quarter. The stock is up 150% since we purchased.

New Employee: Well, I waited until 4 weeks later to purchase it, so our basis cost was actually $45 / share - not $20.

Boss: You're Fired

Ex - New Employee: That's ok. I have to remain on your medical plan for 6 months; you must pay me a healthy severance, and I have a trip planned to Punta Cana next week anyway.

Boss: How do I file for bakruptcy?

Boss: I need this done by 4pm today. I'm not going to do anything with it until tomorrow morning, but I still need it this afternoon.

Kid, at 4:05: Shoot! I've been working hard all afternoon and got a little behind. Since I'm late, I guess it's not worth doing.

Boss: Your written report was fine, but needs these changes.

Kid: Nope, I did my best the first time and there are no retakes.

Boss: I need this done by 4pm today. I’ll be taking the report home and I’ll have feedback for you by tomorrow morning.

Kid, at 4:05: Shoot, I forgot to turn it in. I meant to get it done, but I was distracted by the vending machine and the video on my friend’s phone. Can I do a really quick and cruddy job on it and turn it in? This won’t affect my performance review or my coming promotion at all, right?

Boss: Well, it may be mentioned in that performance review. It won’t be on time, and by your own admission it isn’t very good work.

Kid: Since when did that matter? I know YOUR boss is just going to make you rewrite any bad review anyway. You’ll have to make me look amazing. You know what? That report doesn’t really matter at all. I’ll just get it to you when I feel like it.

[Anonymous]

Our K-8 started allowing retakes last year and I was surprised ! I didn’t realize it was related to equity grading. They still have to submit homework on schedule but they were allowed to retake tests if they scored below a certain threshold. I complained to the school because that’s not how real life works and it’s certainly not a way to prepare kids for the real world but nothing has changed.

[Anonymous]

Yes these are either recommended or required policies at our highly ranked private. I have mixed feelings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven’t heard of this at any privates we’ve been at, but it makes a lot of sense. Hear me out.

At our private, privileged kids whose parents went to prep schools or elite colleges know how to work the system. Get a bad grade? Go in to the teacher and say “how can I improve my grade?”. Often, teacher offers an additional assignment or extra credit work. Overwhelmed by travel sports? Parents will often ask ahead for extensions on behalf of the kid.

However, if you’re a first generation private school family or from abroad or a stricter school, you probably have NO idea that you can work the system like this. I think making the secret behind-the-scenes system of grading/assignments/teacher relations public is what makes this “equity”. It’s exposing a shadow system of teacher-student interaction and making it available to all students. Kind of brilliant!

Interesting… making the playing field more even…

What’s really interesting is that some people think the way to fix something wrong is to socialize the wrong for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I recently became aware that the high school of my child's indepdent school (child is younger) has started an equity grading program.
According to the school newspaper,
"Students are allowed to retake any major assessments; teachers must provide a rubric for major assignments; students must not be given a grade lower than 50%; and students are not penalized for submitting assignments late, as long as it is submitted within four weeks of the due date. "

Apparently guided by this:
https://gradingforequity.org/
https://www.educationnext.org/time-to-pull-plug-on-traditional-grading-supporters-say-mastery-based-grading-could-promote-equity/

I'm a little confused, to be diplomatic. I mean, a rubric for major assignments seems reasonable...

Is this happening at other local private schools too?

What state and city are you in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes these are either recommended or required policies at our highly ranked private. I have mixed feelings.

Surely they cap the ultimate grade of someone even doing one redo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I recently became aware that the high school of my child's indepdent school (child is younger) has started an equity grading program.
According to the school newspaper,
"Students are allowed to retake any major assessments; teachers must provide a rubric for major assignments; students must not be given a grade lower than 50%; and students are not penalized for submitting assignments late, as long as it is submitted within four weeks of the due date. "

Apparently guided by this:
https://gradingforequity.org/
https://www.educationnext.org/time-to-pull-plug-on-traditional-grading-supporters-say-mastery-based-grading-could-promote-equity/

I'm a little confused, to be diplomatic. I mean, a rubric for major assignments seems reasonable...

Is this happening at other local private schools too?

What state and city are you in?

Rockville, MD

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I recently became aware that the high school of my child's indepdent school (child is younger) has started an equity grading program.
According to the school newspaper,
"Students are allowed to retake any major assessments; teachers must provide a rubric for major assignments; students must not be given a grade lower than 50%; and students are not penalized for submitting assignments late, as long as it is submitted within four weeks of the due date. "

Apparently guided by this:
https://gradingforequity.org/
https://www.educationnext.org/time-to-pull-plug-on-traditional-grading-supporters-say-mastery-based-grading-could-promote-equity/

I'm a little confused, to be diplomatic. I mean, a rubric for major assignments seems reasonable...

Is this happening at other local private schools too?

What are you confused about?

If you are not confused but trying to dog whistle, that's not diplomatic at all.

Genuinely confused, esp about the 50 percent minimum and the seeming lack of any hard deadlines. I'm trying to balance the focus on learning/mastery vs. Teaching/reinforcing basic responsibility/following deadlines.

50% minimum is just range compression. % grades are extremely arbitrary anyway, lot carefully sculpted balances.

Lazy Kid A lets work pile up for weeks and is extremely stressed and rushed by the end of the year and can't get it all done, and learns the the needs to plan better next year.

Kid B can babysit their siblings and work a part time job and travel to divorced parent and still get their work done well, missing some due dates.

OR

Kid A and B misses strict deadline, abandons work, and doesn't learn. Gets a low grade on the test and moves on, since further study is not rewarded and distracts from other classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I recently became aware that the high school of my child's indepdent school (child is younger) has started an equity grading program.
According to the school newspaper,
"Students are allowed to retake any major assessments; teachers must provide a rubric for major assignments; students must not be given a grade lower than 50%; and students are not penalized for submitting assignments late, as long as it is submitted within four weeks of the due date. "

Apparently guided by this:
https://gradingforequity.org/
https://www.educationnext.org/time-to-pull-plug-on-traditional-grading-supporters-say-mastery-based-grading-could-promote-equity/

I'm a little confused, to be diplomatic. I mean, a rubric for major assignments seems reasonable...

Is this happening at other local private schools too?

What are you confused about?

If you are not confused but trying to dog whistle, that's not diplomatic at all.

This. We see through you OP. Go
back to West Virginia where you are comfortable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I recently became aware that the high school of my child's indepdent school (child is younger) has started an equity grading program.
According to the school newspaper,
"Students are allowed to retake any major assessments; teachers must provide a rubric for major assignments; students must not be given a grade lower than 50%; and students are not penalized for submitting assignments late, as long as it is submitted within four weeks of the due date. "

Apparently guided by this:
https://gradingforequity.org/
https://www.educationnext.org/time-to-pull-plug-on-traditional-grading-supporters-say-mastery-based-grading-could-promote-equity/

I'm a little confused, to be diplomatic. I mean, a rubric for major assignments seems reasonable...

Is this happening at other local private schools too?

What state and city are you in?

Rockville, MD

.

There are now private high schools in Rockville, Maryland.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I recently became aware that the high school of my child's indepdent school (child is younger) has started an equity grading program.
According to the school newspaper,
"Students are allowed to retake any major assessments; teachers must provide a rubric for major assignments; students must not be given a grade lower than 50%; and students are not penalized for submitting assignments late, as long as it is submitted within four weeks of the due date. "

Apparently guided by this:
https://gradingforequity.org/
https://www.educationnext.org/time-to-pull-plug-on-traditional-grading-supporters-say-mastery-based-grading-could-promote-equity/

I'm a little confused, to be diplomatic. I mean, a rubric for major assignments seems reasonable...

Is this happening at other local private schools too?

What state and city are you in?

Rockville, MD

There are no private high schools in Rockville, Maryland.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I genuinely can't wait to employ these kids in the labor force when they're done with college.

Boss: We're going to need to submit the purchase order to the market by 4 pm today.

New Employee: Ok (realizing that there are no real issues with waiting to do this until 4 weeks after the due date)

... 8 weeks later.

Boss: Wow! That transaction really made our quarter. The stock is up 150% since we purchased.

New Employee: Well, I waited until 4 weeks later to purchase it, so our basis cost was actually $45 / share - not $20.

Boss: You're Fired

Ex - New Employee: That's ok. I have to remain on your medical plan for 6 months; you must pay me a healthy severance, and I have a trip planned to Punta Cana next week anyway.

Boss: How do I file for bakruptcy?

Kid: Hey old dumbf**k don't you know I created a trading algorithm and that humans don't submit POs to the market anymore

Boss: I don't understand any of that technology...I submit my POs by telephone and in the meantime the market has moved and I lose money on every trade