Schools across California are debating how to grade students amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
There is no shortage of ideas, with some being more dramatic than others.
In San Francisco, the school board president said they have received a lot of input from students and parents. Some prefer a pass-no pass option. Others say it’s best to go with A’s for everyone. The board is considering the latter, with a decision expected to come later this month.
“We were leaning toward giving all students A’s,” San Francisco School Board President Mark Sanchez said. “Part of the reason is because we want to make sure that no student is hurt in this time when they have very little control of what’s happening in their lives.”
The board admits it’s not a perfect solution and there are many students with unique situations.
“The state has said that the [California Department of Education] has not given that guidance and the [University of California] system and [California State University] system would rather have a pass-no pass grading system or a letter grade,” Sanchez said.
Troy Flint with the California School Boards Association (CSBA) said they’re working with schools to make all the options known.
"And the desire both from CSBA and from the state [is] to hold students harmless, to not penalize them for these extraordinary circumstances that they're working under, particularly when many students don’t have the resources," he said.
Sanchez considered letting students grade themselves, but some wondered if students would stay motivated.
