Does DPS’ new grading system work for parents?
Monday, October 29, 2007Written by: Van Schoales
There’s a fascinating article in today’s Rocky, well worth reading, regarding Denver Public Schools’ switch to a standards-based grading system in elementary and middle schools.
Some parents at “high performing” schools are protesting the change, arguing that it is confusing to use numbers instead of letters.
These parents seem to think that an “A” means an “A,” while a “4,” which connotes exceeding, far beyond expectations, the grade-level standards, is harder to understand. The unfortunate fact is that an “A” means very little without the context of the school, program, and teacher, as well as some other measures like test scores.
I’d be interested to know how Metro Organizations for People and other, more typical DPS parents are responding to the new system. Is it more or less helpful than the traditional system in terms of helping their kids?
I think the most important issue is not the particular system but, whether parents really know and understand what their kids know and can do. A parent’s understanding of their kid’s learning is one of the critical factors in the student’s success. I would hope the districts and some local universities will spend some time evaluating these changes.
It would be a shame to switch to a new standards grading system, however well intended, if it ends up ultimately being confusing to parents.
October 31st, 2007 at 12:42 pm
How does the manner in which academic achievement is reported change the actual learning that the student has acquired? It shouldn’t.
The group of parents upset about Denver’s new grading system needs to slow down and take the time to examine the real issues at stake. A change from A,B,C,D,F based on what? what the teacher felt like grading? to 4,3,2,1 based on a state standard is a positive move for all. This group has it backwards; we are moving from a murky grading mess into a clear, measurable system based on standards set by the state. These standards are the same for all students and provide clear guidelines as to what a child is expected to know in their current grade level.
I agree, the time to become an activist is now. But the revolution needs to be about sustaining academic rigor for every child and challenging every public school student to new levels of achievement, not about how achievement is reported. Let’s unite behind outstanding education for all of our children.