Why are kids mad about the new grading?

[Anonymous]

From the B-CC's Tattler Newspaper and subsequently confirmed by an Assistant Principal:

In our most recent print issue, The Tattler published an article that detailed electives no longer on offer to B-CC students due to low student registration. The courses listed as slated for removal included Latin American History, LGBTQ+ Studies, Stage Design, Website Development, Advanced Web Tools and Digital Media, Music Technology, Advanced Acting, Play Directing, AP African American Studies, and Holocaust Studies. However, AP African American Studies and Holocaust Studies were listed in error. They have reached the enrollment threshold and will run in the 2025-2026 school year.

In other years, B-CC students were told that AP Chemistry would not be offered; it will be this year. At least one year, 18 students enrolled in MV Calculus were told there was not enough interest in the class after they returned for fall classes and that the students could take the class at Montgomery College. Parents fought to have the class offered at B-CC and won that time.

[Anonymous]

Correction -- The second paragraph is not from the Tattler. Don't want to get into trouble for misusing "quotes" like the former principal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a current MCPS student and heard that students are going to board meetings to talk about the new grading. Why is it such a problem? I’m a rising junior, by the way, and it would just seem that you should keep with your current output of work and your grades will be fine. It seems to only be a problem if you’re slacking off, so I would understand a few stragglers, but even in my own inner circle, people are really mad. Is there something I don’t know? Thanks in advance.

HS Teacher here. A fear that many students have is that this change will impact college admissions because their GPAs will be lower. The problem is that students think they are competing against every other kid who applies to a particular college, but in reality they are competing against the other kids in their high school who will be affected the same way.

What students don’t see is that the current grading policy has actually been hurting college admissions because they have internal data that shows supposedly straight A kids from MCPS weren’t actually ready for their university courses. Students also don’t understand that padding their transcript with As and Bs in AP courses they barely understand doesn’t really help them when they get to college and are completely unprepared for next level courses or how to study and retain information for an entire semester.

I have a similar but ever so slightly different take: The old grading policy benefited students who were A-/B+ kids (MCPS doesn't use + or -). They could get straight As even with Bs in some quarters. This meant that to colleges, there was a larger cohort of kids coming from MCPS that were indistinguishable from one another. This hurt the really stellar students, who struggled to differentiate themselves from the tier 2.

So now I feel it's more equitable. The top students will still be at the top, and will be recognized as such. The second tier will be where they actually belong, in the second tier. And so on. It's fair. I don't think anyone can argue with that!

It is absolutely fair, but the fact that A-/B+ students will be differentiated from straight A students is exactly what kids fear. Even if you’re a rising senior who has never gotten a B, it could happen, and now you will pay a real price for it. The OP didn’t ask if the new policy was fair; they asked why kids are mad about it. What you’re posting about is why kids don’t want this change in policy. New fear unlocked.

PP you replied to. I hear you. My DD is in high school, and was wondering about the consequences of the new grading, and I explained what I said above. They should collectively be happier that a wrong is being righted, even if there's a small fear about their own personal situation. This is what practicing equity is all about, and I think it's a valuable experience for teens to live through. All of a sudden, concepts of fairness that sounded obvious in theory now seem a little more fraught when it comes to potential consequences for themselves. Great lesson!

Agreed- my son was the king of A-s. Would have served him well to exert himself further.

Says you

My DD too. She knew exactly what she needed to do to eek out barely an A and executed on it. She did not exert herself. Look, we all learn how to game whatever system we are a part of and now the system is changing and it will require more effort.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Students don't like it because they will never have breathing room. There's never a time until maybe the last couple of weeks of the semester where they think they can let up on the gas.

This is particularly pronounced when kids have a bunch of different tough classes in quarters 1 and 3 and and they'd like to let up the gas on one to focus on another course. But if they do that, they could potentially lower their percentage score on the course they let up on, and it could now come back to haunt them in the semester grade.

Also, the issue isn't so much in the reality of how many times this will actually lead to a lower semester grade. It's in the anxiety that such a thing COULD happen, so they can never let up on any course until the see the light of the end of the semester on the horizon.

Whether you interpret this as a good thing (it keeps kids on task all semester) or a bad thing (it keeps kids stressed and overdoing it out of fear of next quarter's grading) is a matter of perspective.

Right, I tried to make a similar point earlier, but didn’t explain it as well as you. It would be great if there would be fewer assessments during the semester, because adding on more things may be too much. I don't have a problem with summative assessments or averaging MP letter grades (especially with the first, the second, ehh, I don’t know that it's really necessary), but I do have an issue with kids always needing to be "on."

[Anonymous]

The new grading policy says basically one graded assignment a week at a minimum and we have been encouraged to do just that. Nobody is winning any teacher of the year awards for having 40 entries in the gradebook each quarter.

[Anonymous]

IME in McPs principals want to see 20 kids in an elective at a minimum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a rising junior, and I've talked to her and a couple of her friends about this during the summer. I can tell you why they are stressed/mad already for this year.

(1) No/not enough input from students and parents before final decision was made.

(2) Poor rollout/explanation of portions of the plan. For example, none of us know/are certain whether a course like World History that has always been divided into two courses -- A and B--with two grades will become a full year course with one grade for the entire year. What happens if someone takes AP Bio or Chem -- a two period class? Do these classes become two full year grades?

(3) Immediate implementation. Every system-wide grade change (except when they clarified that getting an A and B in either marking period is an A) or course implementation change (Health going from 1 to 2 semesters) that has occurred over the past 10 years has not been immediately applied to current students. Always a grace period before implementation. The excuse that everyone in a class has to be on the same grading system is just pure laziness on behalf of the school system. They have plenty of time to create a program to address this issue if it is really an issue.

(4) Number of students taking AP/IB courses will drop. Students will take Honors instead of AP because they get the same weighted grade. Since MCPS does not distinguish courses in rankings and did not do a review of what courses should receive higher weighing before rolling out the new grading system, my junior and her friends are fearful that they will lose out in competitions for scholarships and other school awards because other students will take easier courses.

(5) Diminishes prior grades for those entering the college application process/no time to repair any lower grades earned during junior year for admissions. There is nothing MCPS can say to explain the grading change on transcripts that would not harm students in admissions who receive lower grades under the new system.

(6) "Will increase uniformity in grading." There has never been uniformity in grading. There have always been teachers that would not round anything between 89.51-89.99 to a 90. (My sons had those teachers in AP/Honors math courses.) There also is nothing in the plan to ensure that teachers will return work within 10 days. My children frequently have had math and language teachers submit grades on 15-20 assignments including tests the eve of mid-term and end of marking period/semester deadlines, denying them the ability if needed to correct. Complaints from parents and students at my kids' high school about such teachers have been ignored for years.

As an adult, you should help explain to her that most of this is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Students don't like it because they will never have breathing room. There's never a time until maybe the last couple of weeks of the semester where they think they can let up on the gas.

This is particularly pronounced when kids have a bunch of different tough classes in quarters 1 and 3 and and they'd like to let up the gas on one to focus on another course. But if they do that, they could potentially lower their percentage score on the course they let up on, and it could now come back to haunt them in the semester grade.

Also, the issue isn't so much in the reality of how many times this will actually lead to a lower semester grade. It's in the anxiety that such a thing COULD happen, so they can never let up on any course until the see the light of the end of the semester on the horizon.

Whether you interpret this as a good thing (it keeps kids on task all semester) or a bad thing (it keeps kids stressed and overdoing it out of fear of next quarter's grading) is a matter of perspective.

Right, I tried to make a similar point earlier, but didn’t explain it as well as you. It would be great if there would be fewer assessments during the semester, because adding on more things may be too much. I don't have a problem with summative assessments or averaging MP letter grades (especially with the first, the second, ehh, I don’t know that it's really necessary), but I do have an issue with kids always needing to be "on."

What’s wrong with always needing to be “on?” One of my kids is in private and he is always “on.” That’s real life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a different fear. Because kids will drop AP/IB courses for the easier grades under the new system, the enrollment numbers could drop, leading a school to drop the course for the year. B-CC dropped several courses for 25-26 due to low enrollment.

It isn't just you that's worried. There are teachers worried about this too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a current MCPS student and heard that students are going to board meetings to talk about the new grading. Why is it such a problem? I’m a rising junior, by the way, and it would just seem that you should keep with your current output of work and your grades will be fine. It seems to only be a problem if you’re slacking off, so I would understand a few stragglers, but even in my own inner circle, people are really mad. Is there something I don’t know? Thanks in advance.

— signed mom

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The new grading policy says basically one graded assignment a week at a minimum and we have been encouraged to do just that. Nobody is winning any teacher of the year awards for having 40 entries in the gradebook each quarter.

Parents and students get angry if there are more than 14 assignments although it is easier to recover from 1-2 low grades if there are more assignments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a rising junior, and I've talked to her and a couple of her friends about this during the summer. I can tell you why they are stressed/mad already for this year.

(1) No/not enough input from students and parents before final decision was made.

(2) Poor rollout/explanation of portions of the plan. For example, none of us know/are certain whether a course like World History that has always been divided into two courses -- A and B--with two grades will become a full year course with one grade for the entire year. What happens if someone takes AP Bio or Chem -- a two period class? Do these classes become two full year grades?

(3) Immediate implementation. Every system-wide grade change (except when they clarified that getting an A and B in either marking period is an A) or course implementation change (Health going from 1 to 2 semesters) that has occurred over the past 10 years has not been immediately applied to current students. Always a grace period before implementation. The excuse that everyone in a class has to be on the same grading system is just pure laziness on behalf of the school system. They have plenty of time to create a program to address this issue if it is really an issue.

(4) Number of students taking AP/IB courses will drop. Students will take Honors instead of AP because they get the same weighted grade. Since MCPS does not distinguish courses in rankings and did not do a review of what courses should receive higher weighing before rolling out the new grading system, my junior and her friends are fearful that they will lose out in competitions for scholarships and other school awards because other students will take easier courses.

(5) Diminishes prior grades for those entering the college application process/no time to repair any lower grades earned during junior year for admissions. There is nothing MCPS can say to explain the grading change on transcripts that would not harm students in admissions who receive lower grades under the new system.

(6) "Will increase uniformity in grading." There has never been uniformity in grading. There have always been teachers that would not round anything between 89.51-89.99 to a 90. (My sons had those teachers in AP/Honors math courses.) There also is nothing in the plan to ensure that teachers will return work within 10 days. My children frequently have had math and language teachers submit grades on 15-20 assignments including tests the eve of mid-term and end of marking period/semester deadlines, denying them the ability if needed to correct. Complaints from parents and students at my kids' high school about such teachers have been ignored for years.

As an adult, you should help explain to her that most of this is ridiculous.

#4 isn’t. Why should a kid struggle with the harder content of an AP class when the “honors” version has the same weighting and easier material and less motivated classmates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a rising junior, and I've talked to her and a couple of her friends about this during the summer. I can tell you why they are stressed/mad already for this year.

(1) No/not enough input from students and parents before final decision was made.

(2) Poor rollout/explanation of portions of the plan. For example, none of us know/are certain whether a course like World History that has always been divided into two courses -- A and B--with two grades will become a full year course with one grade for the entire year. What happens if someone takes AP Bio or Chem -- a two period class? Do these classes become two full year grades?

(3) Immediate implementation. Every system-wide grade change (except when they clarified that getting an A and B in either marking period is an A) or course implementation change (Health going from 1 to 2 semesters) that has occurred over the past 10 years has not been immediately applied to current students. Always a grace period before implementation. The excuse that everyone in a class has to be on the same grading system is just pure laziness on behalf of the school system. They have plenty of time to create a program to address this issue if it is really an issue.

(4) Number of students taking AP/IB courses will drop. Students will take Honors instead of AP because they get the same weighted grade. Since MCPS does not distinguish courses in rankings and did not do a review of what courses should receive higher weighing before rolling out the new grading system, my junior and her friends are fearful that they will lose out in competitions for scholarships and other school awards because other students will take easier courses.

(5) Diminishes prior grades for those entering the college application process/no time to repair any lower grades earned during junior year for admissions. There is nothing MCPS can say to explain the grading change on transcripts that would not harm students in admissions who receive lower grades under the new system.

(6) "Will increase uniformity in grading." There has never been uniformity in grading. There have always been teachers that would not round anything between 89.51-89.99 to a 90. (My sons had those teachers in AP/Honors math courses.) There also is nothing in the plan to ensure that teachers will return work within 10 days. My children frequently have had math and language teachers submit grades on 15-20 assignments including tests the eve of mid-term and end of marking period/semester deadlines, denying them the ability if needed to correct. Complaints from parents and students at my kids' high school about such teachers have been ignored for years.

As an adult, you should help explain to her that most of this is ridiculous.

#4 isn’t. Why should a kid struggle with the harder content of an AP class when the “honors” version has the same weighting and easier material and less motivated classmates.

Because she wants to learn more?

And colleges will notice the difference

[Anonymous]

My principal said that “grades will drop” and be more accurate.

My other admin said that extended time accommodations will not apply to 10 day deadline. At that point, time isn’t really the issue anyways.

None of the admin seemed to be happy. It seems like they are still getting details from central office last minute or waiting for more.

The big question is how unexcused absences are to be handled. Current policy allow staff to give 0% that day for skipping class or having an unexcused absence, but most don’t enforce it at my school. And the policy is not spread around by admin in general, just vague wording about how you “have to offer any missed assignment”.

[Anonymous]

We were told at preservice that this year is being considered a system wide reset and to expect things to drop