Have you ever wondered why your incomplete assignments or low test scores still go into Jupiter Grades as a 55% instead of the actual grade you received? Well, this is because of the school-based grading policy which establishes a floor of 55% for all assignments, no matter the circumstance.
This policy was implemented as a part of the ‘Grading for Equity’ initiative across Manhattan School District 2, and officially went into place in the New York City Museum School at the start of the 2022 school year. According to AP Hindelong, “Grading for equity sets 55 as the basement for grades, therefore allowing students to be able to overcome a test that you didn’t do so well on or something that was missed.”
However, now coming up on four years since the policy was introduced, the question remains: Is New York City Museum School’s grading policy due for an update?
Mr. Schneider, a new social studies teacher this year, is against a change in the grading policy. He said, “If you get a zero, it can really drag you down and I’ve seen students who fall behind early in the marking period and then give up. With the 55, you’re able to come back and hopefully get back into a stronger grade.” Additionally, Mr. Schneider makes the argument that the 55% floor is “more reflective of a student making a mistake rather than penalizing them too much.”
Longstanding NYCMS Math teacher Ms. Hachikian argues that the policy deserves a long needed update where the actual grade a student earns is recorded. “A 55 to me says that 55% of the task was completed and or mastered. It means something.” She also stated, “We are missing opportunities for learning and missing opportunities for assessing our own practice when we say that nothing is actually better than half.” This demonstrates a push from some of the faculty towards grades that are more reflective of a student’s progress and effort put into assignments and tests, as opposed to a grading floor that doesn’t display how a student is actually doing.
Ms. Price, chemistry teacher, sees both sides of the discussion and believes they both hold truth. “I’m pretty satisfied with this school’s grading policy. I think it’s a really fair policy and if you failed, you failed,” she said. When asked about a student receiving a grade of 55 instead of a zero on a classwork assignment, she also said, “You have to be here and struggle through it, and have that productive struggle and show growth.”
Many students are in favor of the grading policy remaining as it is. Junior Hayley Situ said, “I approve of this policy of a 55 because sometimes I’ll do worse, but then it brings my grade back up to a 55 as a little boost.”
“I think it’s actually good because it helps my average if I do awful on an assignment,” said senior Baron Diaz in response to the grading policy. However, he also acknowledged the benefits of not having that grade cushion, stating, “I kind of do also like the other way too because it shows your actual grade and not a boosted grade.”
10th grader Eliana Chai has a more multifaceted view of this topic. “I feel like if someone doesn’t do the work at all, they don’t open the assignment, they don’t hand anything in, then they should get a zero. But if someone does the work and they try to do it and it’s really bad work, then I think the lowest they should get is a 55.”
Ultimately, it is up to the administration to reconsider the school grading policy, should they choose to. Perhaps we may even find an alternative course of action; Ms. Price said, “I’m not sure if there’s a better way, but maybe we’ll figure that out soon.”
