School Board Zeroes In On New Grading Scale
Ongoing discussions over the best grading scales and practices in Oak Creek schools continued Monday night. A new grading scale could be adopted in December.
The Oak Creek-Franklin School Board appears close to a consensus on a new grading scale for the district's high school and two middle schools, though it may conflict with what parents want.
After discussions that started at the beginning of the school year, the board was presented with five grading-scale options at a meeting Monday night. Among them: keeping the status quo, adopting the current high school scale, adopting the current middle school scale and two different blends of the middle and high school scales.
Board members favored a blend of the scales that puts equal distance between each grade. Several said they liked that scale because of the equidistance between grades and a higher standard for a passing grade.
However, a handful of parents who attended the meeting said they preferred adopting the current middle school scale for both the high school and middle schools.
Parents said that scale would allow Oak Creek students to better compete for college admission and scholarships. School Board President Frank Carini said he generally favored that scale as well but did not support 60 percent needed for passing, saying that benchmark was too low.
Here's how the scales compare:
| School Board preference | Current middle school scale | ||
| A+ | 98-100 | A+ | 99-100 |
| A | 95-97 | A | 93-98 |
| A- | 92-94 | A- | 90-92 |
| B+ | 89-91 | B+ | 88-89 |
| B | 86-88 | B | 83-87 |
| B- | 83-85 | B- | 80-82 |
| C+ | 80-82 | C+ | 78-79 |
| C | 77-79 | C | 73-77 |
| C- | 74-76 | C- | 70-72 |
| D+ | 71-73 | D+ | 68-69 |
| D | 68-70 | D | 63-67 |
| D- | 65-67 | D- | 60-62 |
| F | 0-64 | F | 0-59 |
The board could vote on a new grading scale as early as its Dec. 10 meeting.
Monday's meeting was the latest in a series of public discussions after a committee made up of teachers and administrators spent a year and a half researching best grading practices.
As part of that work, the committee wanted the scales at the high school and the district's two middle schools to match up, and proposed a new grading scale for the 2012-13 school year.
After that was met with criticism from many high school parents, the school district decided to hold off on implementing a new scale until next year so that more discussions could be had.
Grading scales weren't the only unpopular part of the committee's recommendations. Some parents, board members and even other teachers are against practices that de-emphasize homework, allow for as many test re-takes as a student wants and exclude behavior from grades.
Those practices are a bigger issue than grading scales, board member Sheryl Cerniglia said.
"The real issue is the test re-take policy ... and whether homework should count or not count," Cerniglia said.
Superintendent Sara Burmeister said the school board will review those practices at a future date. For now, the district wants input just on grading scales, she said.
Ellen McClain
4:48 pm on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
This process led by the district administrator is a series of false starts, back peddling, stalls and misinformation. Burmeister has been for this and against it. She is like a feather in the wind trying to find a place to land so she looks good. Those of us who know better, are just tired of her being on either side depending on who is doing the complaining. Teachers have seen this before from her and at least now the parents are getting a clear view of why Oak Creek is what it is. Pretty much in the bottom of school districts.
OCHS Parent
11:41 am on Wednesday, November 28, 2012
agree
vocal local 1
3:06 am on Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Historically, anything under 70 was an F. Any OC kid that can't get 70 should fail as they haven't learned enough of the content to pass the course and take the next or do the work in the real world. I don't care if their feelings get hurt, their self-image is threatened, or they are refused by a college or employer. This is the real world perform or take the consequences. Colleges look at the grading polices of one’s sending district and adjust. The straight A student is not always a straight A student. It's simply not fair, just or honest. This type of grading is intentionally misleading to all that don’t know, mainly the parent and child. Stick to the standards no trickery and misleading of the student and parents. My report cards consistently read: Student's grades reflect behavior and attitude. Behavior and attitude should not have any bearing on the number grade but it seems they are still using unfair practices. This should stop immediately unless they want to develop a multi-grading policy in which the child gets three grades per course in which they are graded on Homework, class room participation and actual testing grades, commonly called the 3 A system which they are not considering. I agree the school district is manipulating the grading practices to make others think they are doing a super job when in fact they are not. On the flip, we have many whining parents with dumb kids who manipulate an unfair advantage.
OC neighbor
7:55 am on Wednesday, November 28, 2012
On the contrary. It is the parents with kids on the high end of the scale that are fighting for to get into good colleges and receive scholarships. Top OC students compete with students from around the state. They are held at a disadvantage from the start with the OC scale. The difference works out to a 0.4 GPA negative. This is a significant disadvantage. We can debate what the true effect this has on entrance to colleges, but it is is unquestionable that an OC student starts at a lower GPA point and has to rely on someone to goose their number.
Discussion on the low end of the scale, whether a student passes or not is a completely different discussion. Do not hold the high performing student hostage.
why not have a 10 point system for A & B level to match other districts, then set a basement number for passing and split that between C & D level. This allows good students to compete, and keeps lower level student from passing.
OCHS Parent
11:46 am on Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Most parents comment were about the top of the scale and have studends at the top of the class rank. These are the student being hurt by requiring 95% to achieve an A. Take a look at the scales for other school and get the facts. Were you at the meeting?
OCHS Parent
12:07 pm on Wednesday, November 28, 2012
well said!
vocal local 1
12:51 pm on Wednesday, November 28, 2012
They start at a lower GPA because OC has lower GPA standards. Kids get A's that are really B's. I'm not sure this is what you meant when you wrote:" This allows good students to compete, and keeps lower level student from passing." Didn't you mean allows lower students to pass? I think you did and I strongly disagree. I don't know if pass fail decisions are made by the district or the state but the criteria for passing should not change.If they can't evidence that they learned then they fail. END OF STORY. I don't object to modifying the testing media but all should demand that the same level of competence and mastery is evidenced by all students.. Giving out HS diplomas to all that attend and ignoring mastery of basic learning should not be allowed to continue. The kids and most parents are falsely mislead. Some go to college and flunk out, Some can't begin to compete in the work force. They can't get into the military. They need more HS education skills that the district has failed to provide.
OCHS Parent
1:09 pm on Wednesday, November 28, 2012
The issue is the 4.0 scale. Failing grade is up to the board. The difficulty of the test is up to the teacher.
So to keep it simple: Current scale says 94% = A- which is 3.67 points. Other schools that is an A which is 4.0 points. Current 90% = B which is 3.0 points. Other schools that is an A- which is 3.67 points. very big difference in points.
Call your counselor and ask for all completed numerical grades and calculate the impact for yourself.
vocal local 1
2:30 pm on Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Thank you. I didn't have the HS numbers. OC should adopt the standard scoring schedule and stop all the confusion. Unfortunately, the parents want their kids to have A's and object to the board closing the artificial gap they've created. We don't have a population of college grads. Neither the kids nor the parents understand that the current A is really at times a B. The counselors are not telling the parents the truth or perhaps again the parents don't understand. Plus, the district doesn't have the numbers of kids that go to college which most do in our district but aren't prepared, don't know the material, and flunk out? The counselor told my niece that her daughter could go to college. She had some D's in core subjects and treated school as a social arena. Not college material at all. . First semester she flunked out. She promised she'd work harder. Second semester she flunked out again. Dad footed the bill. The colleges accept these kids for the tuition and with full knowledge that few if any are going to graduate. What about the kids wasting PELL grant funds and the kid taking loans? What about the kid that really thinks their going to make it as easily as they did in HS? I rather hurt their pride and self image earlier when they can take remedial courses and get extra help rather than the costly timely later.
FHS parent
1:16 pm on Saturday, December 22, 2012
In regards to the success of an individual succeeding in high school/college:A healthy partnership between home/school is a must! Berating a school or the teacher is not going to help, or give a child a positive outlook. If a teacher scores a child low on a test, then the parent/teacher should hold the student accountable. It is easy to put blame in other places than where it belongs. Granted there are many factors to look at (was it taught well, did the kid pay attention, are there limitations at home when a child is not doing well, parent support).
If you want your kid in college prep class then push them in that direction...start when they are little and lay the ground work. Typically the students in AP or Honors classes are more serious about school. Report card grades are not the only thing a college looks at for admission. The letter grade in an AP class holds more weight than a class that isn't. Yeah! The hard working kid that chose the harder path is rewarded! The SAT and ACT scores are HUGE in securing scholarships! If kids aren't going to college, I would wonder why the parent isn't pushing for their kid to go on (tech or a 4yr. institution)...and wisely...ask a counselor at school to make sure that student is signed up for the classes needed to help the kids succeed in college. If a kid messes around in college then they can pay. I'm all about holding kids accountable for the decisions they make (parents/teachers) can guide the process!
OCHS Parent
11:09 am on Tuesday, January 1, 2013
FHSParent, You are not getting the issue. The grade scales at the majority of HS is lower than Oak Creek requiring our students to do more work for the same grade. No has issue with the grades giving by teachers. Real life scenario ..........OC student in accelerated Chemistry receives a grade of 82% at OC. No issue with the number however that will receive a grade of "C" on an OC transcript. A grade of 82% in the same class will receive a "B-" plus a bonus for being an accelerated class making it an "A-".
“C” @ OC equals “A-“ at other schools. These are the facts.
vocal local 1
4:19 pm on Tuesday, January 1, 2013
NO NO NO OCHS. Normal grading is 94 or 96 for an A. OC gives A's at 92. Kids here do not have to work as hard. When OC kids get to college their 92 point A's turn into B's. OC will pass a kid with 64 points. Below 70 is the norm for failing. What is this saying about the quality of education in OC? How much is the kid with 64 points retaining and taking into the future? Your kid can in reality can flunk every single HS class and still graduate in OC and get a regular diploma. Diploma? Worth what? And, if their 18 they can even vote.