Changes to grading for all MCPS high school students

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All teachers want this. Almost all parents want this. I don’t see a reason to stop this from moving forward for all students next year.

One concern expressed at the board meeting was this having a negative effect on college admissions outcomes for the classes of 2026 and 2027.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All teachers want this. Almost all parents want this. I don’t see a reason to stop this from moving forward for all students next year.

One concern expressed at the board meeting was this having a negative effect on college admissions outcomes for the classes of 2026 and 2027.

The average college acceptance rate is 73%. These kids can go to college. Unless they can't graduate due to failing classes, but I'm okay with that. MCPS should not be graduating students that haven't actually learned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All teachers want this. Almost all parents want this. I don’t see a reason to stop this from moving forward for all students next year.

One concern expressed at the board meeting was this having a negative effect on college admissions outcomes for the classes of 2026 and 2027.

—Me playing the world’s smallest violin.

This has nothing to do with actually ensuring kids learn. And tell me the college that “averages” two grades for each quarter by taking the higher of the two. It’s an idiotic policy that encourages the kid to slack in the latter period.

[Anonymous]

I have a kid who is in the class of 2026, and I object to the new system applying to that class. I’m mixed on whether it should apply to my rising 10th grader.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All teachers want this. Almost all parents want this. I don’t see a reason to stop this from moving forward for all students next year.

One concern expressed at the board meeting was this having a negative effect on college admissions outcomes for the classes of 2026 and 2027.

—Me playing the world’s smallest violin.

This has nothing to do with actually ensuring kids learn. And tell me the college that “averages” two grades for each quarter by taking the higher of the two. It’s an idiotic policy that encourages the kid to slack in the latter period.

DP. As I said above, for some people these changes are about looking tough rather than using common sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This isn't something the BOE votes on. It's a regulation, not a policy, so it's up to Taylor and CO to rewrite it.

Do you know if it’s final and where I can see the official version ?

It's not final.

Is there a place I can see the current version?

It's Regulation IKA-RA, last revised in 2024:

https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/detail.aspx?recID=224&policyID=IKA-RA§ionID=9

[Anonymous]

Why would students not get into college? These changes just better reflect the learning in class over a full semester rather than the better quarter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why would students not get into college? These changes just better reflect the learning in class over a full semester rather than the better quarter.

Right, and for the 2026, you are saying all of the recorded grades don’t actually do that. And for the class of 2027, you are saying that a majority of the grades don’t do that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All teachers want this. Almost all parents want this. I don’t see a reason to stop this from moving forward for all students next year.

One concern expressed at the board meeting was this having a negative effect on college admissions outcomes for the classes of 2026 and 2027.

Colleges take the information keys provided with transcripts and re-sort or recalculate the information to their own uniform scales and standards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Now we are complaining about having finals and reducing grade inflation?

+1 ridiculous

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All teachers want this. Almost all parents want this. I don’t see a reason to stop this from moving forward for all students next year.

One concern expressed at the board meeting was this having a negative effect on college admissions outcomes for the classes of 2026 and 2027.

Colleges take the information keys provided with transcripts and re-sort or recalculate the information to their own uniform scales and standards.

But they would have the underlying quarter grades. All they see is the final semester grade. It’s not like colleges take all the raw grades and come up with their own system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All teachers want this. Almost all parents want this. I don’t see a reason to stop this from moving forward for all students next year.

One concern expressed at the board meeting was this having a negative effect on college admissions outcomes for the classes of 2026 and 2027.

Colleges take the information keys provided with transcripts and re-sort or recalculate the information to their own uniform scales and standards.

But they would have the underlying quarter grades. All they see is the final semester grade. It’s not like colleges take all the raw grades and come up with their own system.

They would NOT have the underlying quarter grades/tests

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why would students not get into college? These changes just better reflect the learning in class over a full semester rather than the better quarter.

I don't think it's about not getting into college at all, it's about some kids having a harder time getting into the more selective colleges they want, especially if the colleges are still thinking "well we know MCPS has rampant grade inflation, so getting any Bs is a big deal." And that it's especially frustrating for kids who would have made different decisions about what classes to take what year if they knew this was coming.

I personally think that the benefits for the student body as a whole of applying it to everyone immediately are important enough to balance out those concerns, but I do see why it bothers people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid who is in the class of 2026, and I object to the new system applying to that class. I’m mixed on whether it should apply to my rising 10th grader.

Me too but i want it for 26. There needs to be a consequence for them not going to school all year and trying all semester. It would be great to have year of that before college or work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would students not get into college? These changes just better reflect the learning in class over a full semester rather than the better quarter.

I don't think it's about not getting into college at all, it's about some kids having a harder time getting into the more selective colleges they want, especially if the colleges are still thinking "well we know MCPS has rampant grade inflation, so getting any Bs is a big deal." And that it's especially frustrating for kids who would have made different decisions about what classes to take what year if they knew this was coming.

I personally think that the benefits for the student body as a whole of applying it to everyone immediately are important enough to balance out those concerns, but I do see why it bothers people.

Kids who are unable to persevere through these changes don’t deserve the more selective universities. This will separate those who truly want it from those who are only half in it. This is not keeping kids from the high grades- only making sure they work throughout the whole semester to EARN the grade! A B might knock them out from HYP, but certainly not selective colleges!