Courtesy of San Benito High School:
Dear San Benito High School District Community,
In the wake of all California public schools’ move to distance learning, and with guidance from the California Department of Education and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, San Benito High School will temporarily move to an Incomplete/Pass/Pass with Distinction grading system for the remainder of the Spring semester.
During the final grading period of the year, which begins after Spring Break on Monday, April 13, students will accumulate credits toward graduation without negatively or positively affecting their grade point average. Many colleges and universities, including the entire University of California and California State University systems, have already determined that students will not be penalized for Incomplete/Pass marks on school transcripts.
SBHS Educational Services Director Elaine Klauer said that while the Incomplete/Pass/Pass with Distinction grading system represents a new approach to student evaluation, “it provides the best solution for our immediate school closure needs. There are many students and families who are struggling to maintain a routine with our new normal. During this uncertain time, we are following the lead of many colleges, universities and high school districts.”
Ultimately, the purpose of distance learning during COVID-19 is to maintain our positive school environment by designing distance learning experiences that emphasize connection, engagement and learning, in that order.
Principal Adrian Ramirez said that during the transition to the Incomplete/Pass/Pass with Distinction grading system, “it will be important that we maintain consistent and thorough communication to all of our stakeholders, especially our students and parents. We anticipate that our families will have further questions and a potential need for clarifying specific details of the grading system. Our Student Services Staff is prepared and looking forward to supporting our community with the transition.”
What will this grading system look like?
- Students and families will receive a letter from the school with 5th grading period grades and an explanation of the temporary grading system for the remainder of the semester.
- Starting April 13, all student work will be documented by teachers in Aeries under a “Distance Learning” category.
- Grades from the recently-completed 5th grading period will be the baseline to determine final semester grades. Teachers will use that grading period and a body of evidence compiled by work completed during distance learning to determine Incomplete/Pass/Pass with Distinction.
- The MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) team will develop a support system to connect with students at risk of receiving a grade of incomplete.
- Students who currently have an “F” in a class are the only students who might receive an incomplete. An incomplete means the student will not receive credit for the class.
- Students who currently have an “A” or “B” are eligible to Pass with Distinction.
- Advanced Placement (AP) students who take the exam and pass with a 3 or higher are also eligible to Pass with Distinction.
- No grade can be lower than work completed through March 13.
- Missing second semester work up to March 13, the last day of in-person instruction, can be submitted for credit toward a student’s grade.
- Relearning and retake opportunities will continue to be encouraged.
- Teachers are encouraged to provide a variety of options for students to show what they know.
Superintendent Dr. Shawn Tennenbaum said that as San Benito High School District pivots from an in-person instructional model to delivering instruction via a distance learning platform, “providing opportunities and access are at the forefront of our planning and decision-making. Given the circumstances school districts, universities and colleges are facing nationwide due to COVID-19, we are seeing a monumental shift away from traditional grading practices to a focus on equity and access in terms of assessing student work during these trying times. Universities such as Stanford, MIT, and U.C. Berkeley, among many other institutions of higher learning, have shifted their grading practices for the Spring of 2020. These equitable practices have also been embraced by many school districts throughout the country, in California, as well as locally. I am proud of our consistent focus on our students’ well being during these uncertain times.”
San Benito High School District Board of Trustees President John Corrigan added that the COVID-19 pandemic “has presented us all with a set of challenges that nobody could have foreseen. The shift to the Incomplete/Pass/Pass with Distinction grading framework is necessary to ensure that our students aren’t penalized in the grading arena due to these circumstances. As we continue to navigate these unprecedented times, we all need to remain focused on treating each other with respect, compassion and kindness. Together, we will overcome these challenges and become a more united, stronger community.”
