District announces optional credit/no-credit grading system

April 25, 2020 — by Allison Hartley
aaareport

To best accommodate students’ needs, the district ruled out six other grading models in favor of allowing students to choose their preferred mode of grading.

Superintendent Mike Grove announced Friday that the Los Gatos-Saratoga High School District would change the grading policy for the Spring 2020 semester. Students choose the Credit/No Credit model, which does not affect their GPA, or to continue using the traditional A-F letter grade model, which factors into their GPA. Their choice applies to all of their enrolled classes; students cannot choose to receive letter grades for some of their courses and Credit/No Credit for others.  

Students who choose the Credit/No Credit model must achieve at least a D grade or better to earn Credit marks. In his message to the community, the superintendent emphasized that expectations for attending online classes and completing all course assignments will be the same for students who choose either policy.

Next week, the district will establish a date by which students must choose their preferred grading model. 

The decision comes in light of many colleges and public school districts switching to the Credit/No Credit model, many citing the desire to promote equity among students with varied access to technology for remote learning. 

The district received input from college admissions officers, students, staff and parents as they examined seven possible grading models. Grove said that the district administration believes that their chosen model will provide the best balance between potential benefits and potential drawbacks for the greatest number of students.

 

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