Reply to Help me understand the logic behind Weighting All Tasks/Assessments so heavily

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Reply to "Help me understand the logic behind Weighting All Tasks/Assessments so heavily"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Structural Mass Grade Inflation by Policy and Algorithm. MCPS measures and policies are designed to raise mean GPAs, ensure very, very few students fail, all students are promoted to the next grade, and that most high schools maintain graduation rates above 90%. Here is how the 10% category, coupled with other changes over the past 5 years, ensures all students are likely to pass: (1) A 100% is awarded to all submitted work in this category, even work with just a student's name on it. Therefore, this weighted category will average 100% unless a student make zero attempt at the assignment. (2) All unsubmitted work in the 90% All Task category receives a grade of 50% and no work is supposed to have reduction in grades due to lateness. But once a category has been weighted at 90%, the weighting does not matter; what matters is the points assigned to a particular assignment. This, too, the district tries to influence by saying no one assignment shall count for more than 20% of the final quarterly grade. (3) These changes, coupled with the fact that attendance can no longer impact a students' grade in any meaningful way, means that all students can receive a quarterly grade of at least 60% (50% + 10%). (4) In the rare event that a student does not have a grade of 60% and the teacher refuses to acquiesce to administrative, counselor, and parental pressure, the administrator can override the grade and award an Incomplete. (5) Taken with the "Grading Pattern" scheme, a student could earn a 89.5% (A) first quarter, an 59.5% (D) the second quarter, and still receive a grade of a B, despite their average being only a 74.5%. [/quote]

Actually, if you earn 50% in the All Tasks Category and 100% for just turning in assignments in the Practice and Prep category, you will have a 55% overall grade. This is calculated by 0.9(50)  +  0.1(100) = 55%

This is not passing, but pretty close to the 59.5% that is required to earn a D. In order to earn a D in the class, the student must have a 55% in the All Task Category. This is calculated by   0.9(55)  +  0.1(100) = 59.5%  which rounds to a D.  If they earn the D in the second quarter, they can just skip the first quarter and pass the semester with no passing grades.

Overall, the student does not need to actually earn a passing grade on anything to pass a class in MCPS (as long as they turn in all the practice and prep assignments which are grades for completion and not accuracy). I would imagine most students have passed something that was graded for accuracy, but it is not a requirement.

Can you imagine taking Algebra 2 after "passing" Algebra 1 with a D in the second and fourth quarters?

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