At CHS, an 'F' moves further down the mark ladder

CUMBERLAND - A new grading system at the high school is making it easier to pass a class this year.

This fall, based on the recommendation of last year's 12-member School Improvement Team and authorized by Superintendent Donna Morelle, Cumberland High School is piloting an expanded D grading range of 60 to 69.

Prior to the start of this school year, a D grade was a 70 and indicated a student was doing barely adequate coursework, but was still passing.

Students who received a grade below 70 failed.

Normally at Cumberland High School, for the last three decades or even longer, a grade of 60 to 69 has been an FS, which means failing but eligible to take a summer school class. If the summer school course is passed, the student gets the credit for the course and an automatic C minus.

Without the D range during the past three years, students received FS in more than 1,200 courses, according to Principal Dorothy Gould.

After extensive research about best practice, Gould, who co-chairs the School Improvement Team that is made up of teachers, parents and students, said that it became evident that such a small D range (a single one point) is not in the best interest of Cumberland High School students.

Students learned of the new pilot during informational period last month.

A handout explained that the school's previous way of grading hurts Cumberland students, particularly when competing for scholarship awards, college admission and in athletic participation. Also pointed out in the handout was that a D range of 60 to 69 is commonly used by high schools, colleges and universities and is recommended as the scale for comparison by Peterson's College Guide.

The new D grading range was formally presented Monday night to the School Committee's sub-committee on curriculum.

Except for school administrators and members of the School Improvement Team, it seemed others who attended had no idea that the high school is trying out a new grading system.

When School Committee member Earl Wood learned the pilot was already implemented, he expressed frustration. "That's wrong," he said.

Gould's talk about the D grading range included a PowerPoint presentation.

It showed how two students attending different Rhode Island high schools who took the same courses and received the exact same numerical grade in every course, came up with differing grade point averages and credits at the end of their high school careers.

The student whose school has a D grading range, comes up with more credits and a higher grade point average than the student whose school has a grading system similar to Cumberland High School.

Taking the comparison a step further, the student with more credits and a higher cumulative grade point average and who has not taken any summer school courses fares better in the eyes of a college admission official to one who has fewer credits, a lower cumulative grade point average and who has taken three summer school courses.

"The arguments are so compelling in terms of what we are doing for and to kids, that there is no other sensible answer than to adopt the proposed D range," said Gould, at the end of her presentation.

Wood said kids won't have to work as hard to pass because they can now get a D and still pass.

"We need to encourage our kids" to work harder for grades, said Wood.

Wood also raised concerns about the 1,200 students in the last three years who had failed a class and were eligible to take summer school.

"That's something I'm very concerned about," he said.

Assistant Superintendent Susan Carney said that given that there are 1,600 students at the school that means there was only one failure in 25 percent of the cases.

"Now, these (1,200) kids would have passed" with the new D range, said an exasperated Wood.

"That doesn't mean they would know anything more if they did get a D," said School Committee member Brian Kelly.

"But, it would give our kids a shot," said Rosemary Reilly-Chammat, a parent and member of the School Improvement Team. She said Gould's PowerPoint presentation proves that a D grading range is "good for kids."

Gould said faculty members recommended a broader D range but all do not agree on the size of the range.

Wood asked how many high school grading systems the School Improvement Team looked at.

"Hundreds," she said.

The principal also said that "virtually every high school in New England and nationally" uses an expanded D range.

One-third of high schools in Rhode Island use the D range of 60 to 69 including Barrington, East Providence and Smithfield high schools. Gould said all colleges in Rhode Island also use that D range of grades.

However, just over the town line, Lincoln High School Principal Kevin McNamara told The Breeze that the Lincoln school district doesn't have a D grade. Their lowest grade is C-. Anything under 70 is failing.

"It's virtually impossible to score a 70" at Cumberland High School, said School Committee member Lisa Beaulieu, adding, "you get a single shot to score a 70."

Said Beaulieu, "it makes no sense there is no range. You hit the edge or fall off."

Gould said that is why the high school should use the expanded D grade scale.

"It's equity for our students, she said. "Presently, because of our grading scale, we put our students at a great comparative disadvantage to other high school students.

Wood said that Gould may have a "valid argument," but asked: "where do we want our kids to fall?"

Added Wood, "I'd like to see our kids challenged."

Gould also noted that by expanding the D range, the school is not lowering its standards. She said there are valid assessments in place, including standardized tests to measure the school's standards.

As he left the meeting, Wood said the new D range pilot is "dumbing down our kids."

Gould said the next step is to make recommendations about summer school for the future, review data from the pilot expanded D range and make a recommendation to the School Committee.