Education

‘E’ FOR EFFORT

December 09, 2005 1 min read
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Polski3 points out an interesting disparity between classroom grading scales and those used for standardized tests.

This scale for the standardized test was about 85-70-55-45-35 percent. This scale that my district told me to use was much different from the A-B-C-D-F scale (90-80-70-60-....) we are told to use as a guide for their academic grades. What If I assigned letter grades to my students using the scale employed for the standardized tests?
There would sure be a lot fewer "F's" if a student had to be at 35% or below to earn an F grade. And, except for a few exceptions, most of those who will earn an F in my class are, for whatever reasons, "Far Below Basic". They cannot read anywhere close to grade level. They are not organized. They often make little attempt to work in class or complete homework. They have been socially promoted. They have never been held accountable or responsible for anything. In short, they are Far Below Basic.

Sounds like another F is the least of these kids’ worries.

(From Polski3’s View From Here.)

A version of this news article first appeared in the Blogboard blog.

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