Mcps to overhaul grading policy

[Anonymous]

More optics without substance.
They should be looking at the academics and the barriers to academic success.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't sound like they have annoucned how it might change. I didn't realize from the other thread that one option was just to weight the second and fourth quarters higher than the first and third.

That's how it used to be. It was referred to as trend. A/B = B while B/A = A.

That’s not what they are considering doing. They are considering doing a numerical average of both marking periods within the semester. So if you got a 96 MP1 and an 89 MP2, you’d average out to an A for the semester despite the trend downward.

They are still developing the plan. Stay tuned.

Another option they should consider is using the plus and minus system. So B- and A = B+, etc. Simpler than posting letter grades and then having to revert to numerical grades to calculate the semester letter grade.

The simplest is to have a running gradebook for the full semester. The first quarter grade can be essentially an interim. And then they can also use plus/minus to further differentiate.

[Anonymous]

They need to fix the weighting that allows classes that are “honors” for all (health, biology, world language) to be weighted at the same level as AP courses. It makes MCPS look un-serious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't sound like they have annoucned how it might change. I didn't realize from the other thread that one option was just to weight the second and fourth quarters higher than the first and third.

That's how it used to be. It was referred to as trend. A/B = B while B/A = A.

Idk, that seems off. Why punish those that trend down? It should stay as the average. Either report every quarter on transcripts or keep the policy already in place.

[Anonymous]

My kids have learned so much compared to MCPS when I was at a W 30 years ago. I hope putting all this emphasis on grades doesn't further detract from learning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't sound like they have annoucned how it might change. I didn't realize from the other thread that one option was just to weight the second and fourth quarters higher than the first and third.

That's how it used to be. It was referred to as trend. A/B = B while B/A = A.

Idk, that seems off. Why punish those that trend down? It should stay as the average. Either report every quarter on transcripts or keep the policy already in place.

They're not going to put every quarter on transcripts. HS classes are semester-length, and that isn't changing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colleges have caught on to mcps’s grade inflation and that reputation is hurting our students’ future outcomes.
Yet, parents and students push and push and push for grades, abuse of the 50% rule, etc.
The current grading system deters motivation for quarter 2 and quarter 4.
(Guess what I do lol).

I doubt parents pushed for that bizarre policy to take the best grade of two marking periods that has deterred attendance for MP2 and 4. That seems like MCPS trying to get the graduation rates up…

Then you would be surprised at what we hear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Colleges have caught on to mcps’s grade inflation and that reputation is hurting our students’ future outcomes.
Yet, parents and students push and push and push for grades, abuse of the 50% rule, etc.
The current grading system deters motivation for quarter 2 and quarter 4.
(Guess what I do lol).

I'm glad to see Taylor is finally addressing the problem, after years of Smith and McKnight ignoring it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:More optics without substance.
They should be looking at the academics and the barriers to academic success.

+1. Wouldn’t it be awesome if they devoted this time to be sure kids knew math?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More optics without substance.
They should be looking at the academics and the barriers to academic success.

+1. Wouldn’t it be awesome if they devoted this time to be sure kids knew math?

I can still remember when they got rid of the midterm and final exams in math - coincidentally at the same time it showed that most were failing algebra on the exams but the grades didn’t reflect it.

Over the years, grading changes continued to make it easier to obtain higher grades and hide whether or not they learned adequate content. The policies also incentivized less effort and attendance in Q2 and Q4.

While not the magic answer to all problems, incrementally hopefully this will improve things or at least get things back on track.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colleges have caught on to mcps’s grade inflation and that reputation is hurting our students’ future outcomes.
Yet, parents and students push and push and push for grades, abuse of the 50% rule, etc.
The current grading system deters motivation for quarter 2 and quarter 4.
(Guess what I do lol).

I doubt parents pushed for that bizarre policy to take the best grade of two marking periods that has deterred attendance for MP2 and 4. That seems like MCPS trying to get the graduation rates up…

Then you would be surprised at what we hear.

Why does MCPS constantly cave to the squeakiest, whiniest wheels?

[Anonymous]

I feel like this won’t stick since more kids will be failing and no one is going to want that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More optics without substance.
They should be looking at the academics and the barriers to academic success.

+1. Wouldn’t it be awesome if they devoted this time to be sure kids knew math?

Or how to spell?
Or critical thinking?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like this won’t stick since more kids will be failing and no one is going to want that.

Exactly. Colleges already have their own algorithm for how they treat grades from mcps.
What would be more important would be this absurd no fail policy.
A degree from mcps is worthless when no one fails or repeats a grade.

[Anonymous]

Also maybe lets invest more in actually helping the kids who are struggling. Just changing grading policy is empty words.