Making the Grade

Effective June 10, 2021, all Clark County Schools implemented a new grading system.  The intention of the new policy is to remove student behaviors from the grading scale in order to have a more balanced grading system.

On the school district’s website (ccsd.net),  there is a list of everything administrators implemented on grading reform. Administrators are hoping to, ¨implement an equal (balanced) grading scale, remove behavior from the grading process, and implement consistent weighting and categories in the Infinite Campus Grade Book for recording formative and summative assessments.¨

Administrators created a five-year long strategic plan through a Grading Reform Committee. Members planned out how they are going to reform the grading system through the next school years. The areas they mainly prioritized were as follows: “implement an equal (balanced) grading scale”, ¨remove behavior from grading progress¨, and ¨students will not be penalized for late work, participation, responsibility.¨

Bonny Warby, biology teacher at Sierra Vista High School, says, “the difference between the two systems is that the new grading system puts a lot of pressure on students to perform well on tests, while the old system was essentially based on overall points earned”.

When Warby first used the grading system she stated,¨ I like the idea behind it – students should be able to demonstrate a certain level of knowledge to earn a specific grade,”

“…but I also feel like it should have transitioned better or maybe provided family/students with information and supports for the grading reform – because Quarter 1 grades came as a shock to a lot of families/students… shock that one test could change their grade so much and the stress/panic associated with that.¨ stated Warby.

The old system was grading students on their behavior in addition to their content knowledge.  The new system eliminates behavior as a part of the grades students receive.¨ She found it to have some positive aspects and some more parts that she would like to see changed.

Some Vista students shared their thoughts about the new grading policy.

Xavier Duenas, a 9th grader at SVHS, states,¨ My personal opinion on the new grading policy is it was not the best decision. I am saying it was not a great decision because in some ways it makes all of the formative work feel unimportant. Because of how high F a percentage the summative work is regardless of how well you do on regular work, if you bomb a summative then it validates all of the other work.¨

Kira Yeomans, a 9th grader at SVHS, states,¨ The changes to the grading policy is a good thing. It helps with retaking tests.¨ With them changing the grading policy we are now allowed to retake tests as many times until we get to a passing grade.