Parents want Beach to adjust grades
Parents want Beach to adjust grades
A course grade of 93 earns a 3.0 grade point average in Virginia Beach public schools. In Fairfax County schools this fall, it'll get a 4.0. Local parents concerned that their students will be compared unfavorably in college admissions are pleading with the Beach School Board to revise the grading scale. It allows for an A at 94 and above, and a B from 86 to 93.
So far, they've found few supporters.
"We set a tone when we reduce or increase standards," said board member Todd Davidson, reflecting the prevailing view. "We do not reduce our standards."
In the past few weeks, an online petition calling for a switch in the Beach to a scale with 10 points per letter grade has registered more than 1,100 signatures.
Laura Aquilino, mother to two First Colonial High School students, started the petition last month after Fairfax County approved a scale with 10 points per grade, including pluses and minuses.
"It's not like they should get something they didn't earn," Aquilino said. "It's recognizing them for their efforts."
In Virginia Beach, board member Carolyn Weems said she called 13 universities to see if any adjust grading scales to compare applicants across school divisions. She found none.
"It's getting so much more difficult to get into college now," she said. "If we can help our children, we should put them on a level playing field."
In Hampton Roads, all school divisions use a similar grading scale to Virginia Beach, but scales vary elsewhere.
Cape Henry Collegiate School, a Virginia Beach private school, went to a 10-point scale last fall. "It just seemed more fair to have an equal value for each grade," Head of School Jack Lewis said.
Attempts thus far to legislate a statewide grading scale for public schools have faltered, and the state Department of Education considers grades a local matter.
Students also are split on the issue.
Mary Baragar, a 15-year-old freshman at Princess Anne High School, said A's are attainable with effort. But a change could help students on the cusp, she said. "It's hard being right on the border of 93 and 94," she said.
But Richard Parocha, a First Colonial senior headed to the Coast Guard Academy, thinks the tough scale may give students an advantage in the admissions process. "It does make an A more meaningful," he said.
Amy Widner, Virginia Tech's public relations coordinator for undergraduate admissions, said universities consider the rigor and grading scale of schools. "We are looking at each student in the context of their school."
In Virginia Beach, the board declined to change the scale in time for fall. Members plan to consider it again in October.
- Posted on June 7, 2009
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the should make the good grades lower so more people can get good grades and make it easyer to get an A or a B for their grades. and they shouldnt grade homework and i think they shouldnt even give it to us because its pointless but thats my opinion.
I THINK THAT THEY SHOULD LEAVE THE GRADING SCALE AS IT IS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE HARD BUT ITS A CHALLENGE TO THE STUDENTS TO KEEP THERE GRADES UP AND I LIKE THE SCALE THE WAY IT IS AND IT MIGHT MESS UP THE SCHOOLS ACADEMIC PROCESS AND GRADING PROCESSES
BARBARA TWEEDLY
I disagree with this article because its like they are trying to make them fail. And i have been in a situation like that, i was mad. I do think that their scale is not average right. A "b" in this city starts at an 83%. Which has the other number falls into place. I do think that it would be able to do that. I do understand they are trying to make us really work hard so they change the scale but if we can't catch on as fast or not making any progress i think its best to have it at its original scale.
i understand because i used to live in an are that A's were 90percents and up. B's were 80percents to 70percent etc.So when i learned of the difference i didn't do anything i just adjusted to it.In a way it made me work a little harder.I believe an A should be at an 90.
Grades should be A 100-90 B 89-80 C79-70 D 69-60 F 59-50. A 4.0 B 3.0 C 2.0 D 1.0 F 0.0. If it is like that in some schools but not all its not fair. If you moved from one school were a 90 was an A then moved to a school were a 90 was a B then there goes your A for that class. I dont think that is fair I certainly would be very mad and I'm sure others would too.
i dont think that its fair to other schools in different states and countrys that they would do something like this to certain people and studens that actuaaly ndo and some dont deserve to be draged down because of the school boreds idea that he or she has come up with off the top of their noggin (head).
If they change the grading scale then they should change the test and every thing will be changed. I like the the gradding scale how it is and im gettin good grades and they shouldnt change the grading scale. well as long as it does not effect newport news then they do what they want to do.
i think that they should keep it the same because a 3.0 average is around a 90, so they should change it! cus more people are less likely to get a 93, and it would be easyer to pass if you get a 90 and a 3.0 average!!(:
I feel as though they should go by the parents opinion, due to the fact of some parents are quick to snatch their children out of a school division. So if they try to hear what the parents have to say thats less kid s out of their division and more parents on their side.
subitted Delquisha burch on tuesday 4/13/10 12:45
I think that y should the grade scale should by gaded or change differently.I think that i that the difference of changing the grade scale is good and bad cuz the grade scale should be diffrent by test grade or it depend on how many queastoins thats are givin.