Plano ISD abandoned its newly proposed grading policy, promising to seek feedback from parents and teachers before revisiting the issue. The proposal, which they intended to implement in the coming school year, would have discontinued grading penalties for missed work, late assignments, and class behavior.
Teachers protested that the district was tying their hands and eliminating their ability to motivate students with grading consequences. Parents decried the “dumbing down” of academics in an effort to reduce drop out rates. Both insisted that keeping them out of the process led the district to a decision contrary to common sense – all people, including teens and pre-teens, are more likely to sit down and tackle their work if they know there will be resulting rewards for preparation and penalties for bad decisions.
The committee of school officials was following a national trend toward focusing more on what students have learned and less on each individual assignment’s grade. Lots of little red Xs on homework are discouraging, the philosophy goes.
So a “bigger picture” assessment was sought. Fair enough. But how do these folks think the kids acquire this “overall knowledge” the schools are seeking? It doesn’t work by osmosis. Eventually, the kid has to sit down at the kitchen table and open his textbook.
And how will this assessment of general knowledge be made? At some point a teacher has to make an entry in her grade book. Either she assigns a grade based on a test score alone (what do we think the test score will be for the child who did no homework?) or she must make a general evaluation based on her dealings with the child. She’ll have to reserve entire days to explaining herself to protesting parents.
The most important result of this community-wide discussion has been the district’s recognition that parents want high standards and should have a place in discussing policies. In typical institutional fashion, a small group in a closed room developed a dumb idea. But they get extra credit for admitting their mistake.
