Grading Policy Recommendation | 4/24/2020

Dear Newport Mesa Families and Staff, As we all know, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted nearly every aspect of our daily lives. We’ve all been affected by the unprecedented actions taken to limit the spread of this novel Coronavirus and in turn limit the devastation and heartache that it has and continues to wreak. In order to protect students and their families and limit the spread of COVID-19, schools across the nation have had to implement distance learning. During this shift to off-site learning, caring for the whole child continues to be our ultimate objective. Though our teachers are putting forth a herculean effort, this learning system cannot completely replicate the instruction traditionally received in the classroom or provide the levels of support that are normally in place for students at our schools. The inability to meet with our students in their classrooms has naturally led to heightened levels of stress for everyone. Students in particular are experiencing raised levels of anxiety. It is imperative, therefore, that we carefully consider how we deliver our instructional program and assess student learning. We cannot move forward with business as usual and with traditional notions of evaluating learning or we risk causing greater harm to students in this environment. In response to these circumstances, we will recommend to the Board a grading system for the third trimester for elementary schools and the second semester for middle and high schools that encourages student engagement in distance learning, while being designed to limit the negative impact of conditions that are out of our students’ control. In an effort to provide a comprehensive recommendation to the Board, we consulted with teachers, principals, and parents. For secondary students, and as a temporary change in our practice, we recommend students be graded on the following scale: A, B, C and Incomplete. Teachers will continue to move forward with learning, introduce new material to students and assess student work using a variety of measures of learning as a mechanism to give students feedback about their progress. Secondary students will be issued a grade as described for participating and completing assignments in distance learning and we will take into consideration each individual’s circumstances. If a student does not participate in distance learning sessions and assignments, they may be issued an Incomplete for the semester and will be provided the opportunity to complete the course soon after the semester ends. We are also asking our Board to consider adjusting graduation requirements for our current high school students. For our comprehensive high schools, including Early College High School, we recommend a reduction in credits from 230 to 220. To achieve this goal, required elective credits will drop from 80 credits to 70 credits. In our continuation and independent study high school, we recommend that the Board reduce credits from 230 to 210, electives credits from 80 to 60. Our recommendation also stipulates that students who choose to withdraw from an elective course at this time due to this change will not receive a “Withdraw Fail” as indicated in current Board policy. Finally, for all current high school students we recommend Community Service Hours not be required for a diploma. Students may continue to submit their service hours for eligibility for other recognitions and scholarships. Additionally, Senior Projects for current students will not be required for a diploma, but may continue as a required class assignment by the teacher as part of the curriculum. A recommendation will also be submitted to the Board regarding elementary school grades. For trimester three, we propose that elementary students receive comments for their academic progress on their report cards. Numerical marks (1-4) and effort marks (O-S-N) will not be given. Rating characteristics/behaviors for K-6, social/emotional for Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and listing absences for all TK-6 students will not be recorded on report cards. Participation and completion of work expectations are also expectations of elementary grade students. I would like to emphasize that many students and their families are dealing with circumstances during this pandemic that will directly affect, through no fault of their own, their academic performance. With the closure of all non-essential operations across the community, unemployment rates have skyrocketed and many, many families are impacted. If a family member is suddenly unemployed, there will be struggles to pay rent, bills and provide basic necessities for the family. We see evidence of this as unemployment application rates have hit historical highs and by the incredible demands being placed on food banks. Additionally, families may also have individuals who are considered to be at a high-risk of contracting COVID-19. In these homes there is a constant worry that family members who are essential workers may endanger those at home who are high-risk individuals. This can be a heavy load for adults to carry, but even more so for our students. These stresses and the anxieties will undoubtedly have a detrimental impact on their performance in our distance learning courses. At the same time we are obligated to keep students on their current path and we do not want to impact students who stand to benefit from grades on their transcripts. Our recommendation ensures that all students are treated fairly because it will benefit all students, disadvantage none and cause no harm as outlined by California Department of Education COVID-19 emergency guidelines. While we believe that we can provide meaningful feedback to students in our distance learning, assessing student learning in this environment is a challenge and will be different than the formats we employed in the regular classroom. This grading system, therefore, will keep those who seek to improve or maintain their achievement levels engaged in learning and provide a path so that all students are able to pass their classes. I am fully aware that this grading policy would not be one chosen by everyone. Rest assured, however, that we have invested a great deal of time and energy to thoroughly analyze how to move forward under these difficult circumstances. We have also carefully studied the recommendations from the California Department of Education and reviewed the policies crafted in other districts in Orange County and throughout the State of California. What is clear is that students and families, due to a multitude of pressures, are under duress during this pandemic and that now is not the time to exacerbate stress and anxiety in our schools. Further, for too many students, academic performance will be impacted by a lack of available support and access to resources–issues that, again, may be out of their control. Keeping all this in mind, we have faith that the policies we have outlined will encourage students to focus on learning during this health crisis and that it is in their best interest to provide a grading policy that supports students in their continued learning this semester. Your understanding and support is always appreciated, especially in these very trying times. Until we are once again able to regain a sense of normalcy and resume school-based learning, please stay safe, stay healthy, and be well. Sincerely, Dr. Fred Navarro Superintendent
Source: CDM High School New