The coronavirus is forcing teachers and students across the country to adapt to an online learning format, and now Washington state is implementing a “do no harm” grading policy for high schools.
In guidance released on Wednesday, Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal said that Washington state high schools would not be allowed to give students a failing grade during the pandemic.
“Every aspect of our American experience has been impacted by the novel coronavirus, COVID19,” Reykdal said in a statement. “As the impacts of the virus have unfolded, we have provided guidance to school districts and policymakers. We have grounded our work in three core principles: compassion, communication, and common sense.”
Reykdal added, “In high schools, our students face post-secondary consequences that are the difference between gaining access to well-paying jobs and health benefits or not. Grading implicates hundreds of millions of dollars in scholarship opportunities. Grading systems can impact military recruiting, college athletics, access to college majors, and more.”
Additionally, Reykdal said that “many of our students are overwhelmed” and “getting through all the chapters, and all the assignments is not our priority right now.”
“I have made the decision to eliminate the pass/fail grading option as a matter of state policy. It is neither equitable, informative of student learning, nor is there a guarantee that it won’t harm students in future educational pursuits,” Reykdal explained.
Reykdal said that schools can assign letter grades or an “incomplete” for students, but, “‘F’s’ will not be an option.”
“No student will receive a ‘pass,’ ‘fail,’ or ‘no credit’ grade for any course,” the guidance reads.
If students are given an “incomplete,” they will be given a variety of options to make up the class such as summer school, online classes, or “backfilling the incomplete grade with the letter grade obtained in the next course taken in that subject area.”
Additionally, in Seattle, high schools have been directed to give students A’s or an “incomplete” grade to ensure that “no students are penalized because they might not have the same advantages at home that other students have.”