Student accountability is becoming remote when it comes to Department of Education policy in the coronavirus era.
The country’s largest school system won’t lower grades for late work or lack of attendance this year, according to final guidelines provided to the Post.
“Schools must ensure that their grading policies and practices acknowledge the impact of remote and blended learning models on the ways in which students must complete their assigned work,” reads the document, which was emailed to principals Monday morning.
Citing COVID-19 disruptions, the DOE said schools “must adjust” expectations for timely work and are “encouraged to lessen or eliminate penalties for late work beyond these deadlines.”
Student attendance will not directly impact grades. The DOE guidelines state that “courses that currently include attendance as a factor in student grades must remove that factor completely.”
Like last year, city students will not be given failing grades and will instead be given opportunities to make up material.
In addition, parents will now have the option of scrapping any numeric grade this year and replacing it with a less exacting “meets standards” or “pass” mark that won’t count towards a cumulative overall score.
Individual schools will be allowed to determine how numeric grades are calculated and will be given wide berth in assessing student progress.
“This guidance is designed to promote equity, flexibility, and empathy in our grading practice for all students,” the DOE said.
Critics of the new approach — which is being adopted in districts across the country — said it dilutes accountability for both kids and staffers.
“These kids are going to be thrown into life with no tools and no sense of accountability,” said Bronx mom Veronica Flores. “This is not how the world works. No one is going to hand you anything.”
Flores said she agrees that there should be more flexibility with remote learning and more latitude — but argued that the DOE is going too far.
“The have nots are being treated like can nots,” she said. “I get that this is motivated by sensitivity. But in the end it’s only going to further the divide.”
A Manhattan teacher said Monday that the rules shield administrators and DOE officials from scrutiny.
“How do we know if a school is educating their children or not?” the teacher said. “In the end, it just makes it difficult to know if a student is excelling or falling behind. I’m not sure if that helps them.”
But a Queens principal said that coronavirus turmoil necessitated the changes and that they are reasonable — at least for now.
He said that more “competitive” kids will still have the option of numeric grades while struggling students can accrue credits without falling behind.
“Now, everyone can see your home on Zoom, or you have to deal with a parent losing a job, or other things,” he said. “Be flexible.”
Meanwhile, the DOE reported an overall attendance rate of 85 percent for both in person and remote learners Monday.
The DOE briefly posted an attendance spreadsheet (
Student accountability is becoming remote when it comes to Department of Education policy in the coronavirus era.
The country’s largest school system won’t lower grades for late work or lack of attendance this year, according to final guidelines provided to the Post.
“Schools must ensure that their grading policies and practices acknowledge the impact of remote and blended learning models on the ways in which students must complete their assigned work,” reads the document, which was emailed to principals Monday morning.
Citing COVID-19 disruptions, the DOE said schools “must adjust” expectations for timely work and are “encouraged to lessen or eliminate penalties for late work beyond these deadlines.”
Student attendance will not directly impact grades. The DOE guidelines state that “courses that currently include attendance as a factor in student grades must remove that factor completely.”
Like last year, city students will not be given failing grades and will instead be given opportunities to make up material.
In addition, parents will now have the option of scrapping any numeric grade this year and replacing it with a less exacting “meets standards” or “pass” mark that won’t count towards a cumulative overall score.
Individual schools will be allowed to determine how numeric grades are calculated and will be given wide berth in assessing student progress.
“This guidance is designed to promote equity, flexibility, and empathy in our grading practice for all students,” the DOE said.
Critics of the new approach — which is being adopted in districts across the country — said it dilutes accountability for both kids and staffers.
“These kids are going to be thrown into life with no tools and no sense of accountability,” said Bronx mom Veronica Flores. “This is not how the world works. No one is going to hand you anything.”
Flores said she agrees that there should be more flexibility with remote learning and more latitude — but argued that the DOE is going too far.
“The have nots are being treated like can nots,” she said. “I get that this is motivated by sensitivity. But in the end it’s only going to further the divide.”
A Manhattan teacher said Monday that the rules shield administrators and DOE officials from scrutiny.
“How do we know if a school is educating their children or not?” the teacher said. “In the end, it just makes it difficult to know if a student is excelling or falling behind. I’m not sure if that helps them.”
But a Queens principal said that coronavirus turmoil necessitated the changes and that they are reasonable — at least for now.
He said that more “competitive” kids will still have the option of numeric grades while struggling students can accrue credits without falling behind.
“Now, everyone can see your home on Zoom, or you have to deal with a parent losing a job, or other things,” he said. “Be flexible.”
Meanwhile, the DOE reported an overall attendance rate of 85 percent for both in person and remote learners Monday.
The DOE briefly posted an attendance spreadsheet last week but deleted it after being questioned by the Post.
That document showed wildly disparate data across the board.
The DOE numbers showed 59 schools reported in-person attendance under 50 percent, with PS 165 Robert E. Simon in Manhattan posting the lowest rate of 8.67 percent. The school had 86 percent online attendance, according to the spreadsheet.
The document also reported that 152 schools had 100 person in-person attendance for the year.