Legislative Changes On School Grade Policies Raises Questions

EDGEWOOD—The Texas Association of School Board’s Legal and Local Policy Update 86 embodies a number of policy changes brought about by the most recent state legislative session.

But at least one change has some Edgewood ISD School Board trustees somewhat vexed.

The policy update regarding grading/progress reports for students appears to open the door for mandatory re-testing or make-up time for missed assignments if a grade lower than 50 is given.

Trustees Sara Macy and Dan Sharff, in particular, raised questions about just how the district’s local policy might be affected or changed out of necessity.

"I wonder how much responsibility will be placed on the teacher. How much will that teacher have to force the child to retake or re-test?" Macy asked.

Edgewood ISD Superintendent Jack Shellnut explained that the language of the approved bill (Senate Bill 2033) calls for grades to be given that "reflect the student’s relative mastery of an assignment."

Most school districts, including Edgewood ISD, currently have a local policy that sets a minimum grade of 50 if the student is making any effort on a test or assignment.

Shellnut said the change in Update 86 could be interpreted as taking out that minimum grade standard but also allows for second chances on any failing grade. Sharff, though, noted the bill’s language sounded optional in places.

"It says ‘and may allow a student a reasonable opportunity to make up or redo a class assignment or examination,’ not ‘must allow’ as in it would not be optional," Sharff said.

The board wound up approving Update 86, which also covers policy changes ranging from non-bid purchasing amounts to playground safety measures.

On Thursday, Shellnut said the grading policy issue will come down to the district setting guidelines that meet the criteria of Senate Bill 2033.

"Update 86 itself says each campus will come up with their grading policies, and that is because you wouldn’t grade the same way in elementary as in high school," he said. "We’ve just got to come up with guidelines that meet that."

He added, "We do have some concerns about the fact that grades have to be based on a student showing mastery of the objectives. A student who receives a 69 means they didn’t master the objective and the teacher has to give an opportunity to redo the work. So if a student earns a 70, guess what? They mastered it."

Also in Tuesday’s meeting, Shellnut presented the public hearing on the district Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) Report.

Edgewood ISD received a Superior Achievement rating on school finances as issued by the Texas Education Agency for the 2007-2008 school year.

In other matters, the board took the following action:

— Accepted a donation of $50 for the district in memory of David White Sr.

— Approved the 2009-2010 tax roll levy of $2,399,769.51, which includes $1,621.80 in late charges.

— Cast the district’s 296 votes to Bobby Mayfield for the Van Zandt County Appraisal District Board of Directors.

— Approved the textbook committees for each campus for the current school year.

— Approved revisions to the district’s Dyslexia Plan for the current school year.

— Received a report from district curriculum director Jennifer Johnson on the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) results.