Making the grade

Like school districts throughout the state, the Elmsford Union Free School District has had to make an abrupt change from a traditional classroom model to an online distance learning one in a matter of weeks due to COVID-19. The entire long-distance learning system has been a lesson in adapting instruction to a new platform, managing the needs of students and families, and making daily efforts to improve it, all while planning for when school buildings reopen.

Among the many considerations for school administrators and teachers is how to grade students fairly on their online work while in quarantine. To that end, the district held an interactive virtual meeting on April 14 to discuss new grading policies and what might be the best way for teachers to evaluate student work.

Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Marc Baiocco, said he wanted to build a consensus rather than have the administrative team unilaterally determine a grading policy.

Twenty-two participants, including administrators and teachers from all three of the district’s schools, were included in the meeting, which was facilitated by Sean Brady, a consultant with Prism Decision Systems.

Thus far, the district is considering having two evaluation systems, one for students at the Carl L. Dixson Primary School and Alice E. Grady Elementary School, and a two-pronged approach for students at Alexander Hamilton High School. The assembled team discussed the merits of maintaining the standards-based report cards for the younger students.

The goal for the district’s students is for whatever grading system is adopted to “be fair, equitable, flexible, provide opportunities for students, and to meet state mandates,” Mr. Brady said.

At the high school, one proposal is to use the incomplete/complete model for the third marking period, which began before schools closed. The district has to determine the best course of action for fourth quarter and year-end grades. Factoring into this is the impact it would have on college-bound underclassmen and if this method would be compatible with what colleges are currently doing.

The incomplete/complete model assures that students would have an opportunity to complete all unfinished work, something a pass/fail option would not accommodate.

For many participants, a priority is to be as flexible as possible.

“We are trying to be mindful of the needs and provide support,” Grady Principal Andrea Hamilton said.

“I think what it comes down to is flexibility,” Dr. Baiocco said. “What we want is a grading-criteria that is flexible. We have to be flexible with understanding, that each in this situation took the students’ routine away and I want to be mindful of that.”

The district will be sending out more information on its updated grading policy on Friday, April 17.