Anonymous wrote:I am a relatively new high school teacher. Once I realized how much the school system rounds up everything, I decided I have to make all my grading harder, so that an A or B during one quarter doesn't make a kid pass to easily. It was very frustrating seeing kids get an A or B first quarter and then becoming really lazy the next quarter.

As a long-time reader of these boards, I heard a lot about lax standards and multiple retakes in HS. But now that my kid is here, I haven't seen it. The standards seem hard and classes seem way harder than anything I had at the same age (and I was an honors student). I was never a freshman in Algebra II and Foreign Language 4. And yes, the pacing, testing, and grading seem challenging to me. So I want a teacher who challenges my kid but I do find it odd to do it purposefully to push down kids' grades rather than the spirit of making them rise to the challenge.

My DD is a junior and the only class that allows retakes is for quizzes in calculus (no retakes for exams). I actually think the retakes for the quizzes are very useful because they motivate her to really learn the material that she hasn’t initially mastered.

Anonymous wrote:How does anyone not have a 4.0 at MCPS? Really. It's nuts.
With retakes and this scale (79.5 and 89.5 = A) it would seem almost impossible for any kid who is trying.

The practice of retakes varies widely from teacher to teacher. With my kid's math teacher, no retakes are allowed. Kid had a test today administered by a sub. Only one person finished. My kid said she had two more problems (with multiple steps and points) to complete. She is a fast worker.

How does anyone not have a 4.0 at MCPS? Really. It's nuts.
With retakes and this scale (79.5 and 89.5 = A) it would seem almost impossible for any kid who is trying.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:you can get the lowest possible D 59.5 and lowest possible A 89.5 and still end up with a B, that is so wrong, MCPS is a screwed up place.

I bet it never happens.

It happens. I have a kid with medical problems who missed a ton of school time. Kid got many Fs because of inability to finish work. Then there were As and Bs the next quarter. Absent the MCPS policy, my kid would not have graduated on time.

I am a relatively new high school teacher. Once I realized how much the school system rounds up everything, I decided I have to make all my grading harder, so that an A or B during one quarter doesn't make a kid pass to easily. It was very frustrating seeing kids get an A or B first quarter and then becoming really lazy the next quarter.

Should be a C+ or a B-.

A = 4 quality points
D = 1 quality point

Total 5 points, divide by 2 = 2.5

2.5 is the midpoint between C and B. They round up.

Why disgust? What else should a D and an A give? Or are you saying it should be a C?

Anonymous wrote:you can get the lowest possible D 59.5 and lowest possible A 89.5 and still end up with a B, that is so wrong, MCPS is a screwed up place.

I bet it never happens.

you can get the lowest possible D 59.5 and lowest possible A 89.5 and still end up with a B, that is so wrong, MCPS is a screwed up place.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks. Mixed feelings: relief he might still salvage something for college apps, fear he'll never make an A in this subject, and disgust that getting a D for half the semester can get you a B for the semester!

+1 MCPS used to have cumulative semester exams that would determine the B or C in your child’s scenario. Exams encouraged students to study for retention of the material, not just study for the unit tests.

Does the teacher have any suggestions on how to improve so your child can do better? Summer school is also an option to change a bad grade.

OP here. Thanks. Mixed feelings: relief he might still salvage something for college apps, fear he'll never make an A in this subject, and disgust that getting a D for half the semester can get you a B for the semester!

Yes, it’s a B. See page 4 of this document: https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/pdf/ikara.pdf

D first quarter.
A second quarter.
DS says it means a B for the semester. In short, having a D in his worst subject for this quarter, he would need an A in the second quarter to pull off a B for the semester.
Do any of you know if it's true?