50% rule question - do different schools interpret it different?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The 50% rule officially reads: The following grading practices are prohibited: Assigning a grade lower than 50 percent to a task/assessment. However, if a student does no work on the task/assessment, the teacher will assign a zero. If a teacher determines the student did not attempt to meet the basic requirements of the task/assessment or the student engaged in academic dishonesty, the teacher may assign a zero.

I have taught at schools where we could never give below a 50%. Others that say that we can give a zero if we had two way communication with the parents about a missing assignment.


https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/pdf/ikara.pdf

What is written above is the official BOE policy. A few years back, Central Office staff decided that parents should be contacted if a student is to receive a zero. That is when the rule of two way communication was started. However, this was not an official MCPS policy as dictated by the BOE. It was a "rule" decided upon by the Central Office staff who cannot actually make policy without the BOE's consent. As a result, different schools and even departments within a school have different procedures in place.


I do wonder -- is there a difference in passing rates, student engagement, student achievement, etc between schools giving zeros and schools with the mandatory 50%?

Can I ask a very basic question? I don’t recall any teachers contacting my parents about any assignments ever. Yes this was 30 years ago and in my case I am sure I turned in all assignments on time. But why do teachers need to involve parents in two-way communication? Can’t they just speak directly to the students? It’s much more efficient to stay on top of grading, and post in the portal if parents are interested in knowing. If the students are chronically absent, then obviously the school should be in touch to determine root causes/barriers. But why on earth would a teacher need to notify parents about every missing assignment? That’s so much extra paperwork.

Today's parents are a much bigger pain in the ass than our parents were. Wait, that means we're a much bigger... Never mind.

[Anonymous]

I send out grade reports about a week before the term ends. I find that works well in getting work turned in. I leave missing assessments as 0 to make sure they are noticed. Later I change the 0’s to 50’s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I send out grade reports about a week before the term ends. I find that works well in getting work turned in. I leave missing assessments as 0 to make sure they are noticed. Later I change the 0’s to 50’s.

That's great but some teachers don't respond and they don't even grade till a week before. More teachers need to be like you but they aren't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These are our (MS) grading rules moving forward:

A student’s final marking period grade will continue to be based on graded assessments (90% of a student’s final grade) and practice and/or homework assignments (10% of a student’s final grade.)

All teachers will aim for roughly one graded assignment per week for a total of 9-12 graded assignments each marking period.

Teachers using the Practice/Preparation grading category will assign a total of 4-9 practice assignments per marking period.

A score of “Z” in gradebook indicates an assignment which is missing but can still be made up. A score of 0 (zero) indicates a student did not attempt the assignment and can no longer submit that assignment.

A deadline will be set for 7 days after an assignment due date. If the assignment has not been turned in by that deadline, the teacher may assign a 0 (zero) as the grade.

Teachers will mark assignments that may be reassessed with an R in gradebook. Students will be given an opportunity to reassess no more than 3 assignments in any class over the course of a marking period.

If an assignment is missing, how can it be made up? Not in on time? Zero.

Fail them all.

Where in the real world would a boss ever tolerate handing in your required work 3 weeks late?

These kids and parents need a friggin dose of reality. Their kids are losers, they will grow up to be losers, and their parents are scum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The 50% rule officially reads: The following grading practices are prohibited: Assigning a grade lower than 50 percent to a task/assessment. However, if a student does no work on the task/assessment, the teacher will assign a zero. If a teacher determines the student did not attempt to meet the basic requirements of the task/assessment or the student engaged in academic dishonesty, the teacher may assign a zero.

I have taught at schools where we could never give below a 50%. Others that say that we can give a zero if we had two way communication with the parents about a missing assignment.


https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/pdf/ikara.pdf

What is written above is the official BOE policy. A few years back, Central Office staff decided that parents should be contacted if a student is to receive a zero. That is when the rule of two way communication was started. However, this was not an official MCPS policy as dictated by the BOE. It was a "rule" decided upon by the Central Office staff who cannot actually make policy without the BOE's consent. As a result, different schools and even departments within a school have different procedures in place.


I do wonder -- is there a difference in passing rates, student engagement, student achievement, etc between schools giving zeros and schools with the mandatory 50%?

Can I ask a very basic question? I don’t recall any teachers contacting my parents about any assignments ever. Yes this was 30 years ago and in my case I am sure I turned in all assignments on time. But why do teachers need to involve parents in two-way communication? Can’t they just speak directly to the students? It’s much more efficient to stay on top of grading, and post in the portal if parents are interested in knowing. If the students are chronically absent, then obviously the school should be in touch to determine root causes/barriers. But why on earth would a teacher need to notify parents about every missing assignment? That’s so much extra paperwork.

Of course teachers contacted parents. If it was as simple as just talking to the student, the issue would be resolved and no need to call the parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I send out grade reports about a week before the term ends. I find that works well in getting work turned in. I leave missing assessments as 0 to make sure they are noticed. Later I change the 0’s to 50’s.

That's great but some teachers don't respond and they don't even grade till a week before. More teachers need to be like you but they aren't.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These are our (MS) grading rules moving forward:

A student’s final marking period grade will continue to be based on graded assessments (90% of a student’s final grade) and practice and/or homework assignments (10% of a student’s final grade.)

All teachers will aim for roughly one graded assignment per week for a total of 9-12 graded assignments each marking period.

Teachers using the Practice/Preparation grading category will assign a total of 4-9 practice assignments per marking period.

A score of “Z” in gradebook indicates an assignment which is missing but can still be made up. A score of 0 (zero) indicates a student did not attempt the assignment and can no longer submit that assignment.

A deadline will be set for 7 days after an assignment due date. If the assignment has not been turned in by that deadline, the teacher may assign a 0 (zero) as the grade.

Teachers will mark assignments that may be reassessed with an R in gradebook. Students will be given an opportunity to reassess no more than 3 assignments in any class over the course of a marking period.

If an assignment is missing, how can it be made up? Not in on time? Zero.

Fail them all.

Where in the real world would a boss ever tolerate handing in your required work 3 weeks late?

These kids and parents need a friggin dose of reality. Their kids are losers, they will grow up to be losers, and their parents are scum.

School isn't work. The end goal is mastery of the material, not punishing the failures.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dumbest idea of all time. How do you get 50% of a score when you don't hand anything in on time? Give them all the zeros they deserve. Fail them all. If kids cannot pass, then start fining the parents.

Dont think of it like that..every other grade category is 10% but F is 50%. This just changes F to 10% as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dumbest idea of all time. How do you get 50% of a score when you don't hand anything in on time? Give them all the zeros they deserve. Fail them all. If kids cannot pass, then start fining the parents.

Dont think of it like that..every other grade category is 10% but F is 50%. This just changes F to 10% as well.

I thought that the reason why a 60% was passing (and therefore the F range was 59%) because if you knew less than 60% of the material you were not ready for the next class. Can you imagine going to Algebra 2 knowing 20% of the material? Heck, I am not sure that you are ready for Algebra 2 even if you do know 60% of the material with zeros given and nothing at all to push up your grade.

[Anonymous]

An F is an F is an F
50% is an F
Posters who insist that a 0 needs to be recorded, do not understand basic math

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:An F is an F is an F
50% is an F
Posters who insist that a 0 needs to be recorded, do not understand basic math

No, you don’t understand math. If a student gets 50% on one assignment for doing zero work except putting their name on it then gets a 90%, that averages out to a 70%, which is enough to pass. If a student gets a 0 and then a 90, that averages out to a 45…..still failing.


You really suck at math and must be a product of MCPS.

Don’t hand in work on time? Give ‘em the zero they deserve.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These are our (MS) grading rules moving forward:

A student’s final marking period grade will continue to be based on graded assessments (90% of a student’s final grade) and practice and/or homework assignments (10% of a student’s final grade.)

All teachers will aim for roughly one graded assignment per week for a total of 9-12 graded assignments each marking period.

Teachers using the Practice/Preparation grading category will assign a total of 4-9 practice assignments per marking period.

A score of “Z” in gradebook indicates an assignment which is missing but can still be made up. A score of 0 (zero) indicates a student did not attempt the assignment and can no longer submit that assignment.

A deadline will be set for 7 days after an assignment due date. If the assignment has not been turned in by that deadline, the teacher may assign a 0 (zero) as the grade.

Teachers will mark assignments that may be reassessed with an R in gradebook. Students will be given an opportunity to reassess no more than 3 assignments in any class over the course of a marking period.

If an assignment is missing, how can it be made up? Not in on time? Zero.

Fail them all.

Where in the real world would a boss ever tolerate handing in your required work 3 weeks late?

These kids and parents need a friggin dose of reality. Their kids are losers, they will grow up to be losers, and their parents are scum.

School isn't work. The end goal is mastery of the material, not punishing the failures.

Fail.

Part of being educated means learning to meet deadlines. It means performing with accuracy and with consistency. 50% automatic grades for doing nothing except writing your name on something and handing it in whenever is pathetic dumbing brown of America.


Please do not ever think about having a kid or being a parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These are our (MS) grading rules moving forward:

A student’s final marking period grade will continue to be based on graded assessments (90% of a student’s final grade) and practice and/or homework assignments (10% of a student’s final grade.)

All teachers will aim for roughly one graded assignment per week for a total of 9-12 graded assignments each marking period.

Teachers using the Practice/Preparation grading category will assign a total of 4-9 practice assignments per marking period.

A score of “Z” in gradebook indicates an assignment which is missing but can still be made up. A score of 0 (zero) indicates a student did not attempt the assignment and can no longer submit that assignment.

A deadline will be set for 7 days after an assignment due date. If the assignment has not been turned in by that deadline, the teacher may assign a 0 (zero) as the grade.

Teachers will mark assignments that may be reassessed with an R in gradebook. Students will be given an opportunity to reassess no more than 3 assignments in any class over the course of a marking period.

If an assignment is missing, how can it be made up? Not in on time? Zero.

Fail them all.

Where in the real world would a boss ever tolerate handing in your required work 3 weeks late?

These kids and parents need a friggin dose of reality. Their kids are losers, they will grow up to be losers, and their parents are scum.

School isn't work. The end goal is mastery of the material, not punishing the failures.

Fail.

Part of being educated means learning to meet deadlines. It means performing with accuracy and with consistency. 50% automatic grades for doing nothing except writing your name on something and handing it in whenever is pathetic dumbing brown of America.


Please do not ever think about having a kid or being a parent.

Freudian slip or your white robe peeking out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dumbest idea of all time. How do you get 50% of a score when you don't hand anything in on time? Give them all the zeros they deserve. Fail them all. If kids cannot pass, then start fining the parents.

Dont think of it like that..every other grade category is 10% but F is 50%. This just changes F to 10% as well.

I thought that the reason why a 60% was passing (and therefore the F range was 59%) because if you knew less than 60% of the material you were not ready for the next class. Can you imagine going to Algebra 2 knowing 20% of the material? Heck, I am not sure that you are ready for Algebra 2 even if you do know 60% of the material with zeros given and nothing at all to push up your grade.

And 50 is an F...it just is only 10% lower than a D as opposed to more

[Anonymous]

Why are the far-right astroturfers so obsessed with the 50% rule? They seem to bring it up every couple of months. I'm okay with it.