The new policy focuses on student mastery of a subject as opposed to factors like attendance.
The Long Beach Unified School District unanimously approved a new district-wide policy at its March 20 meeting that aims to create a more equitable grading process.
The foundation of the Equitable Grading Policy was created over a two-year process with input and feedback from students, parents, teachers and administrators. The policy was created in an attempt to encourage transparency, consistency and fairness across the district.
Rooted in the district’s Excellence and Equity policy, the new grading policy recognizes the “institutional, historical and systemic harms that have contributed to disparities” in student growth and outcomes, according to a presentation at a previous March 6 meeting. Specifically, this new policy would base student’s grades on mastery of the subject and exclude factors that are not a direct measure of knowledge.
Students would be able to demonstrate their mastery through different methods, including:
- Tests
- Projects
- Portfolios
- Class Discussions
Factors that will no longer determine an academic grade include:
- Attendance
- Effort
- Student Conduct
- Work habits
Students would also have the opportunity to submit missing assignments regardless of an excused or unexcused absence for potential full credit. Board Member Maria Isabel Lopez expressed her concerns over this aspect of the policy.
“I think that the unexcused absence is where I have a problem,” Lopez said. “When there’s a situation where the student wasn’t in class for a reason that was not excused, I think that there’s always that opportunity for the students to speak to their teachers directly.”
Deputy Superintendent Tiffany Brown noted that the issue of absences is one of the crucial topics of discussion when looking at how this policy will benefit students. She added that many times, the impact absences have is much more significant than intended. Looking at unexcused absences specifically, Brown mentioned how punishing students for unexcused absences could potentially harm the district’s most vulnerable demographics.
“The current grading system that we have now is actually harmful to a demographic of our students. This new policy won’t be taking away anything from anyone, but it does validate our neuro-diverse and vulnerable students.”
LBUSD Board President Diana Craighead
“The idea of clearing an absence implies a very intentional home with a very intentional caregiver who is taking the time to clear those and that is not the circumstance for many of our students,” Brown said.
Lopez ultimately voted yes for the policy with the clarification that she “strongly believe[s] unexcused absences not always necessarily merit full credit.”
The policy was presented to the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Committee. Student Board Member Axel Aguilar shared some of the apprehension from students in the group.
“My general summation of what the students thought was that it might have been a little bit too lenient on the students,” Aguilar said at the previous board meeting. “[The group feared] it was giving students a freebie and that students were able to take advantage of the policy and end up the same as students who are high-achieving and complete their assignments on time.”
Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Schools Jay Camerino emphasized that this policy will not affect high-achieving students like Aguilar; it is more so about offering hope to students who, for whatever reason, are not at that level yet.
“It’s not really going to impact you, but really, it’s going to be consistent with our classes, in our school, in our systems that will give our students, especially our Black and brown students, hope,” Camerino said at the previous meeting. “Not give them higher grades, but a hope to improve their grades.”
Board president Diana Craighead mentioned that the board received feedback from parents of students with disabilities who view the new grading policy as a step towards equity.
“The current grading system that we have now is actually harmful to a demographic of our students,” Craighead said. “This new policy won’t be taking away anything from anyone, but it does validate our neuro-diverse and vulnerable students.”
The Equitable Grading Policy will be in effect starting in the 2024-2025 school year.
