The Dallas school district has completely changed its grading procedures this school year, and teachers aren’t happy, according to a CNN article. Teachers are now required to let students retake any test they fail once and not even record the student’s failed score. In addition to this once-abnormal practice, teachers must also allow students to turn in homework after the due date. In elementary and middle schools, only homework that improves the student’s average can be recorded. Finally, teachers must contact parents before entering a zero in the grade book.
If I taught in Dallas, I’d be tempted just to pass everyone to avoid this aggravation.
Needless to say, I was absolutely shocked when I read this. What is the world coming to? I am all for reducing the drop-out rate, which is Dallas’ goal, but this is ridiculous. It reminds me of the argument from Professor of criminology at Bucks New University Ken Smith about changing common misspellings in the English language (see the Sept. 5 issue of The Reflector). What I said then applies here as well: Guidelines are put in place for a reason, and we can’t just change them at will.
Dale Kaiser, president of the National Education Association, said, “Instead of setting high expectations and the high standards and holding them to that, we seem to be wanting to lower the bar and give them an excuse not to succeed.”
My major problem with this new grading system is I fear students will aspire to less than they have in the past. The fact is there are students who will perform well according to whatever guidelines are set forth, and there are students who will not do as well; those numbers will not change. (Not that there necessarily need be poor performers, this being the great challenge posed to education today.) It may, however, demoralize the average student, and I don’t think the outcome will be positive. I fear the “C” student who does his homework because it affects his grade will suddenly quit because the teacher will not count it anyway.
And what is it with the re-testing rule? It used to be that the occasional teacher offered to drop a test grade, but it is pretty rare, even in college. Now every test is a possible drop grade? What’s the point of studying the first time around if you know you get two shots? It seems like that would give students reason to go out on a school night instead of studying.
Another big question I have is this: How will this prepare students for college? If they are used to an environment where basically only the good grades count, how will they handle their first flunked college test? There’s a good chance they can’t just “drop it,” or replace it for that matter. For many of these students, college will be a rude awakening rather than a new adventure, and the drop-out problem will simply shift from high schools to colleges.
I don’t think the Dallas school district is doing its kids any favors. Though it may lower the drop-out rate, it will only hinder students in the long run. I just don’t see how waiting to pay for school only to find that you can’t make it is a good move. The school district should re-think this whole idea. Perhaps they need to set up a better program for failing students and have required tutoring hours, maybe even allowing them one replacement test. These blanket rules will not accomplish what the district intends.
If schools thrust students toward mediocrity, why should they expect anything different?
Hannah Kaase is a sophomore majoring in animal and dairy science. She can be contacted at [email protected] .