What is Morton P.A.S.S? by Jill Alexander
Morton P.A.S.S. stands for “Morton Parents Against Sinking Standards.”
We are a group of committed
parents, students, and community members who are trying to improve the
education at J.S. Morton High School.
What is the mission of Morton PASS?
JS Morton students want high standards and a fair grading
system that will accurately measure what a student has learned. We want the
Board of Education and administrators to take immediate action to correct the
flaws in the new grading system.
What is the “equal interval” grading scale and why is Morton using it?
The equal interval grading scale is a system that uses a
range from 0-5 to score students’ work.
Each number is supposed to be aligned with a rubric that explains how a
student can earn a particular grade. However,
in many cases these rubrics have not been developed yet.
In contrast, the equal interval scale has roughly the
same range (about 1.0 point) for each letter grade. The problem is, when a “1”
is the cutoff for a D, students can pass with a 20% (1 out of 5). Morton has lowered the bar
significantly. (http://tinyurl.com/comparegrading)
According to the Assistant Superintendent, Mr. Tim Truesdale,
the old grading system was not fair to students because it has a large range
for failing scores. In a traditional
grading system, anything below a 60% is a failing grade. There is a 59 point range for an F and only a
10 point range for an A.
Where did
this problem originate?
Back in 2010, District 201 cut graduation requirements
in order to balance the budget. Now,
students are only offered 20 credits (5 classes x 4 years) and must pass all 20
in order to graduate on time. If a
student fails even one class, he or
she is no longer able to graduate on time without taking summer school or night
courses. In just three years, the
graduation rate has dropped by 13%. (http://tinyurl.com/mortongraduationrates) Now, only 69%
of Morton students graduate in four years—which is even lower than CPS. In
2014, District 201 adopted a new grading policy that allows virtually every
student to pass. A few years ago, District
201 reduced the graduation requirements in order to save money. Now, students
are only offered 20 credits (5 classes x 4 years) and must pass all 20 in order
to graduate on time. If a student fails even ONE class, he or she must attend
night school or "credit recovery" class in order to graduate within
four years.
What are the problems with the new grading system?
In short, students who have not learned the class material can still
pass easily. Students who miss dozens of
assignments and fail the majority of tests can still earn a passing grade. As a result, the failure rate has dropped
significantly across the district in just one semester. Virtually every student passes, regardless of
mastery. (http://tinyurl.com/mortonfailurerates) This is not the result of
improved instruction or re-taking tests.
This is directly linked to the adoption of the new grading scale that
allows students to pass with a 20% (1 out of 5) average.
In addition, the new grading system relies on weights and
“buckets” in order to calculate the final grade. Most grades have at least four weights
attached to them, which makes it very difficult for students, parents, and even
teachers to understand how the grade is calculated.
Finally, the new weighting system actually hurts the Honors
and AP students. In order to get an A,
students must earn A’s on virtually every exam, including the final. Last semester, the percentage of “A” grades
dropped significantly in the Honors and AP classes. http://tinyurl.com/mortonhonors
Why is it bad if more students pass?
If students were passing the class because they learned more, then fewer
failures would be a good thing. However,
students who did not learn what they should are still earning passing
grades. After they pass, there is no
incentive to learn the material. Students
will not be adequately prepared for college or careers.
My child is an “A” student. Why
should I care about other students’ grades?
Your child will graduate with a diploma from Morton HS. Everyone wants that diploma to be prestigious and meaningful. If the community, employers, and colleges perceive that Morton’s education is less rigorous than other schools then even straight-A students will be negatively impacted.
Is the board and administration aware of the problem?
Yes. Students
and parents have had multiple meetings with administrators and board
members. They have given presentations
at recent board meetings expressing their concerns. The administration has acknowledged there are
problems and they have made suggestions for ways to improve the grading
system. However, none of their
recommendations will prevent students who haven’t learned the material from
earning a passing grade. It is also
unlikely that this problem will be fixed in time for the 2014-2015 school
year. They have stated that the new
grading system is here to stay.
I am concerned. What can I do?
Help us spread the word and get support from the community:
· *Like us on Facebook (Parents Against
Sinking Standards-Morton PASS)
· *Follow us on Twitter (@Mortonpass)
· * Sign up for text messages (Text: @JSMorton
to (224)
803-2398)
· * Stand up for fair grades and high standards--Join us for peaceful, public
demonstrations which will be announced via social media
*Call administrators and board members. Tell them
that you want fair grades and high standards for all Morton students. Go to www.morton201.org to find email addresses for board members and
administrators.
