New grading system sparks controversy

Jennifer Rogers, San Mateo Elementary Teachers' Association representative for Abbott, explained the teachers' understanding that the numeric rubric would be used for grades this trimester since that is how teachers graded during the time period. Additionally, Rogers explained the board seemed to want to support teachers' opinion to use either grading system. An e-mail this morning from Principal Cathy Ennon informed teachers of the switch to letter grades, Rogers said.

"We only have one day to do this. So my question is, as an Abbott teacher, whose orders do we follow? Do we follow the district? Or, do we follow the board? What's the best way for us Abbott teachers to communicate with parents? One, 2, 3 grades we've been working on since August? Or, a letter grade that we have to work on tomorrow?" she said.

Given that the mixup was brought up during public comments at last night's meeting, the board was restricted in discussing or voting on anything. Superintendent Pendery Clark took the chance to reiterate her understanding of the situation.

Clark explained the board had given THE Bayside S.T.E.M. ACADEMY the approval to use number grades at its previous meeting. Abbott at the time, however, had requested a revote. Thus the board did not approve its initial request to use numbers only.

"The teachers voted ... to do a summary grade only with no delineation about trimesters," she said. "The teachers are chosen to do grade only and need to do grade only."

Teachers argue the revote decision was to implement numbers only at the start of the next trimester.

Teacher Jordan Sher echoed Rogers' concern explaining, if parents wanted to see how he arrived at a B- grade for their child, he would not have testing or previous marks to support it. He believes the decision to force letter grades for this semester was not in the "spirit" of the board's previous mention of wanting to support flexibility for each school when it comes to report cards.

Under the number grading system, students earn marks of 1 through 4 with 1 symbolizing below standard and 4 meaning the student exceeds standards. Report card implementation began in the elementary school during the previous school years. This year was the first it was used in the district's four middle schools.

From the previous criticism, four recommendations were presented to and approved by the board in October.

First, report cards would maintain the numerical skill mastery marks but a letter summary grade would be added for each topic.

Secondly, each school can decide if it wants to use both grading systems or just the traditional letter grades throughout the current school year. This decision needs to be a school-wide decision. Third, the district will put a support person on each middle school campus to aid in implementation. Lastly, each school will poll teachers and parents twice between now and the end of the school year about the changes. Those results will be brought back to the board for consideration at that time.

A petition was posted online asking the district to step back and work with a group of parents and teachers to re-work the system. Nearly 600 signatures were collected prior to the October decision.

Heather Murtagh can be reached by e-mail: heather@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 105.