50% Rule

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn’t realize some schools followed it and some didn’t.

The issue is the parent population.

A teacher CAN give a zero for a missing assignment, but must document that the parent has been notified and responds that they know. If you teach at a school with responsive parents, you give zeros. If you teach at a school with non-responsive parents (include those gaming the system), you give 50% and move on with your day. With all the coverage we’re doing, who has time to try to contact a parent for the tenth time in a row. A parent who sees a Z grade and cares is going to contact you.

Well, this explanation makes a lot of sense. Our DCC high school has low parent engagement and has been a steadfast adherent to the 50% rule.

For me, zeros or 50% doesn't matter to me, because the bar for my kids is way higher than a D, which is really all the 50% rule was meant to facilitate, since D is the minimum grade to pass on to the next class and graduate.

I'm honestly 50/50 on this. I think zeros teach kids about the consequences of slacking on organization and time management, but I also think the statistical hole it puts kids in can be an unfair burden.

Back in the '90s, even when we had the zero rule, there were graces made to allow kids to mess up and still recover, like teachers dropping your three lowest grades before the end of the marking period.

So honestly, I don't care either way, but it should be consistent across the board.

We as a society benefit when kids can finish high school. For some kids, the 50% rule is the difference that leads them to the ability to be gainfully employed in a job that provides health insurance and paid sick leave. People who hate the 50% rule don’t have kids that are at risk so they don’t see the benefit.

I agree with this. The majority of people who are outraged about the 50% rule aren't raising kids that need it to get by.

Doesn't sound like there is a lot of 'raising kids' going on if they need a 50% to stay afloat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn’t realize some schools followed it and some didn’t.

The issue is the parent population.

A teacher CAN give a zero for a missing assignment, but must document that the parent has been notified and responds that they know. If you teach at a school with responsive parents, you give zeros. If you teach at a school with non-responsive parents (include those gaming the system), you give 50% and move on with your day. With all the coverage we’re doing, who has time to try to contact a parent for the tenth time in a row. A parent who sees a Z grade and cares is going to contact you.

Incorrect.
Last year the parent had to respond.
Current policy is 3 documented attempts at contact.
If the parents don’t respond, tough luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn’t realize some schools followed it and some didn’t.

The issue is the parent population.

A teacher CAN give a zero for a missing assignment, but must document that the parent has been notified and responds that they know. If you teach at a school with responsive parents, you give zeros. If you teach at a school with non-responsive parents (include those gaming the system), you give 50% and move on with your day. With all the coverage we’re doing, who has time to try to contact a parent for the tenth time in a row. A parent who sees a Z grade and cares is going to contact you.

Incorrect.
Last year the parent had to respond.
Current policy is 3 documented attempts at contact.
If the parents don’t respond, tough luck.

I can assure you I haven't had a single teacher reach out about any of my kids missing assignments and they've been set and left as 50%, unless they turn it in and then the grade gets replaced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn’t realize some schools followed it and some didn’t.

The issue is the parent population.

A teacher CAN give a zero for a missing assignment, but must document that the parent has been notified and responds that they know. If you teach at a school with responsive parents, you give zeros. If you teach at a school with non-responsive parents (include those gaming the system), you give 50% and move on with your day. With all the coverage we’re doing, who has time to try to contact a parent for the tenth time in a row. A parent who sees a Z grade and cares is going to contact you.

Incorrect.
Last year the parent had to respond.
Current policy is 3 documented attempts at contact.
If the parents don’t respond, tough luck.

I can assure you I haven't had a single teacher reach out about any of my kids missing assignments and they've been set and left as 50%, unless they turn it in and then the grade gets replaced.

That doesn’t surprise me. It takes a ridiculous amount of time and effort on a teacher’s part to hold students accountable. It’s a lot easier to just enter the 50%.
I’m just saying what the actual policy says in regards to zeroes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn’t realize some schools followed it and some didn’t.

The issue is the parent population.

A teacher CAN give a zero for a missing assignment, but must document that the parent has been notified and responds that they know. If you teach at a school with responsive parents, you give zeros. If you teach at a school with non-responsive parents (include those gaming the system), you give 50% and move on with your day. With all the coverage we’re doing, who has time to try to contact a parent for the tenth time in a row. A parent who sees a Z grade and cares is going to contact you.

Incorrect.
Last year the parent had to respond.
Current policy is 3 documented attempts at contact.
If the parents don’t respond, tough luck.

I can assure you I haven't had a single teacher reach out about any of my kids missing assignments and they've been set and left as 50%, unless they turn it in and then the grade gets replaced.

That doesn’t surprise me. It takes a ridiculous amount of time and effort on a teacher’s part to hold students accountable. It’s a lot easier to just enter the 50%.
I’m just saying what the actual policy says in regards to zeroes.

My kid is in SMaCS. Was sick for a day and missed a physics test. Got 50%. Was able to take the test later in the week, but no contact from anyone. And honestly I'm so fine with that. Teachers shouldn't have to deal with that. They have too much to do already.