State board OKs new student grading policy under pandemic

Sneha Shah Coltrane, advanced learning director for the state Department of Public Instruction, said the spring 2020 policy is "as flexible as possible," taking into account that students in different areas have differing access to technology, internet connections, educational support and space and time to focus on their studies while isolated with their families.

"We can be equitable as well as responsive to excellence at the same time," Shah Coltrane told the board, "and can offer grace and generosity through flexibility."

"Students will be held harmless for any content after March 13," Shah Coltrane said.

If the student was meeting expectations on that date, when schools were closed, or has made enough progress to meet them through remote learning, they will receive a passing grade. If not, they’ll receive a WC19, which, Shah Coltrane stressed, does not mean a student failed or should repeat the course.

"It just means there’s a lack of evidence of mastery of the content area," she explained.

If students choose a numeric grade, it will be calculated into their GPA. If they choose PC19 or WC19, it will not count toward their GPA. PC19 means the student will get credit for the course, while WC19 means they will not.

For yearlong courses, students can use a combination of their numeric grade for the fall semester and a PC19/WC19 for the spring.

Teachers can also issue a temporary grade of incomplete in some cases if there’s a plan with a deadline to complete the coursework.

If teachers can’t contact students to discuss their choices, the board recommends that the teacher choose PC19 for them. Students who can't be contacted this spring will be offered the opportunity to change it during a period next fall when they get back to school.

"By this plan, we’re giving our students motivation to continue learning and strive to improve their GPA," said advisory student board member Nate Kolk-Tomberlin. "But we’re also accommodating all the students who struggle with online learning and don't have the adequate access to online learning."

Promotion and retention decisions remain up to the principal., Shah Coltrane said, but the board strongly recommends that "retention only occur if the student was being considered for retention prior to March 13" and after consultation with the students' teachers and family.

The board also approved a one-year change to athletic policies on academic eligibility and physical exam requirements.

For academic eligibility, if high school or middle school students are promoted at the end of the 2019-20 school year, they’ll be eligible for athletics for 2020-21.

For the "pre-participation physical exam" required for athletics, schools or districts often offer mass physicals, but those likely won’t happen this year due to requirements for social distancing. So, if a high school or middle school student had a valid physical for 2019-20, it will carry over for an additional year. If they didn’t have a current valid physical for this school year, they’ll have to get one before they can play.

The board voted to ask lawmakers for $381 million, including $70 million as matching state funds to get federal CARES Act funds for a summer "jump start" course to help disadvantaged students catch up, focusing on K-3 literacy, but also allowing local districts to expand that to additional students as needed.

The requested amount also includes funding for remote teaching and learning needs, such as Chromebooks for the estimated 300,000 students who have no digital devices and mobile "hot spots" for buses. It would also fund staff training for students' "re-entry" into school, additional food services and a temporary $5-per-hour pay increase for school workers who are preparing and distributing meals to students.

Board Chairman Eric Davis stressed that the requested funding will be a "joint request," representing both DPI under Superintendent Mark Johnson and the State Board of Education.