More D's and F's In Elmhurst D-205

ELMHURST, IL — Many feared students would learn less with remote instruction, resulting in worse grades. Evidence of that has been presented in other places.

But in Elmhurst School District 205, the percentage of D's and F's as of mid-term was only slightly higher than a year earlier.

This is according to information that the district provided at Elmhurst Patch's request. The district said the information was as of mid-term.

In 12th grade, 12 percent of grades were D's and F's as of mid-term, up from 9 percent at the same time in 2019. Seventh grade's D's and F's increased to 8 percent at mid-term, compared with 3 percent a year earlier.

Patch asked the district whether it had a theory about why the percentage of D's and F's had barely changed, despite the big change in learning. It also inquired whether teachers graded differently to take into the account the drawbacks of remote learning.

The district provided a response attributed to Superintendent Dave Moyer. He did not give a theory, but said students should have "multiple ways and opportunities to demonstrate that they have mastered key concepts."

"York (High School) in particular is placing a concerted emphasis on pass rates, which would have been the case regardless of the current circumstances," Moyer said. "While feedback and assessment may look different in a remote environment, the basic principles of effective assessment principles do not change."

District 205 has been almost entirely remote since October because of the pandemic, despite a parent movement calling for in-person learning.

Earlier this month, an Associated Press story indicated a trend toward more F's in schools around the country. In New Mexico, for instance, more than 40 percent of middle and high school students were failing at least one class as of late October, the story said. Similar data was reported in Houston and St. Paul, Minn.

In late October, a top Hinsdale High School District 86 official lamented that students were suffering more "academic duress" than was the norm at both South and Central.

"The sheer volume of D's and F's are a problem at both campuses," Superintendent Tammy Prentiss said at a school board meeting.

At the meeting, a board member said he was also concerned about students who typically get B's falling to C's and those with A's dropping to B's.

Prentiss responded that students were having difficulty not having interactions, adding, "Frequency on campus matters."

Patch asked District 86 for the percentage of D's and F's this semester, compared with a year ago. The district said it would not have that information until early January.

Here's a look at the percentage of F's given as of mid-term in Elmhurst School District 205:

Here's a look at the percentage of F's given as of mid-term in Elmhurst School District 205: