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April 28, 2020 By Allie Griffin
Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled the new grading policy for the city’s public schools today as the pandemic has caused the education system to turn to remote learning.
De Blasio said flexibility was the biggest need in grading students as everyone has had to adjust to the new normal.
“We want to make sure the grading policy we’re using now fits the reality of the moment now,” de Blasio said at a City Hall briefing today.
The City will keep the grading system for high school students largely the same, although students will have the option to convert a passing letter grade to a “Pass” rating so their GPA will remain unaffected.
Students with a failing grade or incomplete coursework will be given a “Course In Progress” rating and be enrolled in a summer program, which is likely to be remote as well. They will have until January 2021 to complete coursework, de Blasio said.
The City has scrapped the normal grading system for middle school and elementary school students however.
Middle schools students, in grades 6 through 8, will receive grades of “Meets Standards,” “Needs Improvement” or “Course In Progress.”
Elementary school students, in grades K through 5, will receive grades of “Meets Standards” or “Needs Improvement.”
The Department of Education (DOE) will automatically enroll every student who gets “Course In Progress” and “Needs Improvement” grades in summer programming.
The DOE will go the extra mile to help high school seniors and eighth graders who are struggling graduate, de Blasio said.
“We just want to make sure every senior who can graduate does,” de Blasio said.
The mayor said that the city will also throw a virtual graduation ceremony for all New York City public school seniors graduating this year with special guests.
“We’re going to do one big celebration of New York City’s high school seniors,” de Blasio said.
“You may not have the traditional ceremony that you were looking forward to. We’re going to give you something you’ll remember for the rest of your life and you’ll cherish.”
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