Dear Editor:  

As of the beginning of this school year, grading policy change has afflicted students across all grades. Introduced to the student body, in an initiative to more accurately assess the information obtained by students, was a new 80-20 grading split that has proven cumbersome for many. This change affects the weight of grades, with this change now summative assessments (tests, quizzes, big projects, etc.) are worth 80 percent of a student’s grade in a class, which leaves 20 percent for formative assessments (homework, pop quizzes, etc.). Despite popular belief that this was introduced solely to inconvenience the student body, the administration was seeking to grade students for what they have learned, not while they are learning. From the mouth of administrator Brian Wunderlich “A grade should be a reflection of what a student has learned and how they can apply what they have learned in a class.  The issue we were tackling is given the previous model of assessment the points earned could easily not reflect what we are trying to measure.”

The administration was not impulsive in this decision and actually consulted the research of higher-up teaching professionals and psychology professionals, namely Rick Wormeli and Robert Marzano, who seek to revolutionize the classroom. The issue, as Wunderlich sees it, “NHS and me in particular has done a poor job communicating what the purpose is [behind this change].” It seems the student body is after good grades more so than actually acquiring information, which is fair considering that the grades ultimately decide your future. However this grading change seeks to change the paradigm of grading for the future. According to educator and psychologist, Rick Wormeli, “Grading isn’t a “gotcha” enterprise.” This deserves to be looked at further. With the current model of grading, it is almost as though one’s ability to turn in all the work is being assessed and not the actual information school has sought to teach. Why is this an issue? If it is possible to go through all of school with good grades because of a 100 percent completion rate then why put forth the extra effort to absorb and expound upon the information? It goes down to the true purpose of school: to educate. With this new grading split, how often homework is completed is no longer being assessed, and little weight exists in the process of learning. It is not until after the information is taught (and hopefully learned) that a grade truly has weight. This is beneficial, as now colleges will see what the incoming student body has actually been taught and absorbed, and not how often homework was submitted.

Optimism seems to be the best attitude in light of this drastic decision, no longer will missing homework assignments mean a total obliteration of the gradebook. Also this gives the student body more incentive to really absorb the information taught in class. Of course there is a mental bridge to cross before accepting this grading change as a part of schooling in Neenah, however as Wunderlich said, “I do not think the policy will change other than potentially moving to 90-10 or 100-0” it would be in the interest of the student body to start walking.

Sincerely,

Mark Cannon, junior