Montgomery County school officials on Sunday provided more clarity for its fourth-quarter grading policy amid the coronavirus pandemic.
When announcing last month that it would use a pass/incomplete grading scale for middle and high school students, MCPS acknowledged it needed to develop a framework for how students would earn a “passing” grade.
In a community message on Sunday, MCPS wrote that students will pass their fourth-quarter classes if they meet two of four established criteria:
• completing at least 50% of assignments
• demonstrating an understanding of content, measured by graded assignments
• consistently participating in online classes or communicating with teachers
• a teacher’s professional judgment based on the context of a student’s specific circumstances caused by the pandemic.
A decision about how the school district will calculate the second-semester grade — made up of the third and fourth quarters — has not yet been made. At a school board meeting last month, MCPS staff members recommended that the semester grade also be a pass/incomplete scale.
The school board is scheduled to discuss and take final action on the recommendation on May 12.
Elementary students will not receive a grade for the fourth quarter.
Sunday’s community message also said residents may not volunteer to provide tutoring during remote learning. The rationale, according to the message, is due to problems with vetting volunteers and compliance.
Caitlynn Peetz can be reached at caitlynn.peetz@moco360.media
