Why DISD is failing our kids. . .
August 17, 2008
Failing your kids anyway, I wouldn’t send my kids to DISD if you paid me and I live in the district. DISDs new grading policy is plain crazy:
- Homework grades should be given only when the grades will “raise a student’s average, not lower it.
- Teachers must accept overdue assignments, and their principal will decide whether students are to be penalized for missing deadlines.
- Students who flunk tests can retake the exam and keep the higher grade.
- Teachers cannot give a zero on an assignment unless they call parents and make “efforts to assist students in completing the work.”
- High school teachers who fail more than 20 percent of their students will need to develop a professional improvement plan and will be monitored by their principals. For middle school the rate is 15 percent; for elementary it’s 10 percent.
Lots of folks agree including Ms. Floyd from the Dallas Morning News and Tim Rogers from D. Tim’s explains, “My favorite directive is this one: homework grades should be given only when the grades will “raise a student’s average, not lower it.” Hinojosa says, “Our mission is not to fail kids.” The district’s stance is that students who get bad grades fall behind, lose hope of catching up, and simply give up. The district’s solution, in short: don’t give students bad grades. This is worse than absurd.”
I have written about DISD before, noting that the district only graduates 44% of students who attend. I assume that if they stop flunking kids they assume their graduation rates will increase. Great stuff guys!
