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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Duran isn't perfect butt he's the best we've have  maybe since Smith. Certainly better than Murphy. New parents here who are outraged should take a breath. It's a long, hard slog, and you'll come to appreciate APS is better than most. [/quote]
I agree. Plus with the shortage of superintendent candidates, the 10 million dollar lawsuit, the outdoor lab incident and a recent overdose there’s zero chance we could get someone better[/quote]

You think the lawsuit and outdoor lab incident and overdose are bad?  wait till y'all find out about "grading for equity" that APS is mandating and what it means (don't be fooled by that name), hold tight parents.  [/quote]

It's not "grading for equity".  :roll: [/quote]

Do you mean it’s not *called* grading for equity, or that it’s not grading for *actual* equity? And can someone  tell us the basics of this thing?[/quote]

+ 1 - can someone please explain the new policy and why it's bad? [/quote]

Because no one fails so they all fail. They’re bringing everyone down to the lowest level. If you can’t understand what that’s bad I can’t help you. [/quote]

Mastery based grading is another name for this. Letter grades are dropped in favor of descriptions of the level of mastery attained. There are no failures or negative assessments. Most public school districts and some private schools are adopting aspects of this equitable and revolutionary grading system all over the country. It’s a learning process by many schools to see what works for their student population. But so far according to compiled data, this new grading system has successfully reduced the achievement gap for the first time: less A grades (or the equivalent) and no failures. Check out the book by leading proponent and educator Joe Feldman: Grading for Equity: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How It Can Transform Schools and Classrooms

While are a number of bespoke versions of the mastery or skills based grading, there are a number of commonalities.

In general, soft skills no longer factor into grades: These include study habits, classroom participation, tardiness, attendance, classroom behavior, homework completion, etc. Assessments solely focus on the mastery of subject matter, and nothing else.

A final assessment accounts for roughly 90% of the grade. And unlimited retests (and tutoring if needed) are offered to students to increase their level of mastery.

Notably teachers are pushing back against this new grading system that ignores soft skills and prioritizes an end of term assessment. But there are proponents among parents and school administrators. [/quote]

There are some teachers behind it.  I think they view it as anti-Racist?  It’s not doing any of the kids any favors.  I’m a high school teacher, and I have a ton of issues with it. What will happen to school attendance when kids realize they can get a 50 even when they’re not there that day?  If students get good grades, what will colleges think when this policy exists?  These inflated grades won’t mean anything, will they?  What will student behavior be like?  How would it feel to work your a— off on a paper, get say, a 75, and have the person next to you get a 50 when they didn’t even do anything?

The soft skills argument is real.   No one is giving me half a paycheck when I don’t show up.

I’ve filled out their surveys all along, but that was foolish.  This was probably a done deal from the moment they introduced the topic.  I’m dumbfounded.  I have kids in APS, too.  I want them to get a good education.  Equity, yes.  No (inaccessible to all) extra credit. No harsh late penalties, ok.   This is 50% instead of a 0 is the worst idea I’ve ever heard.  [/quote]

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