Morton's Grading System

[Suzy Q]

Could someone explain how this works?  How is it supposedly a better grading system?  The Berwyn Life was a little vague on this.

[jfrickind]

The concept is to have an equalized grading system - as much chance to earn each grade.  In a traditional 90, 80, 70, 60 grade scale the F range is from 59 to 0 while the A range is from 100 to 90.  The new grade scale has 1 point intervals.  What it really does is significantly decrease the chance of failing a course.  So instead of forcing students to score higher they lowered the standard for failing.  But at the same time that they decreased the chance of failing they have decreased the chance of scoring in the "A" range.

There is a comparable system at Stephenson High School BUT they only count a "C" and above as passing.

Morton has almost made it impossible to fail a class.  I'll post more data later as most of this is conjecture.

JD

[berwyn senator]

How does a system such as the one Morton uses prepare students for college,and not Morton Jr.College?

[Ted]

Suzie, can you please post a link to the story in the Life?  I don't remember seeing this in the online version of the Life.  I don't buy the paper version any more.

Thanks

[mustang54]

How does a system such as the one Morton uses prepare students for college,and not Morton Jr.College?

Senator Morton is like ANY other high school. Those students who wish to attend a university can if they choose to apply themselves in their classes. I know of a student now being recruited by Harvard, I saw two students a couple of years ago go on to a place called M.I.T. They said it was their dream school since they were in like 5th grade. Their dream came true. Smart kids who choose to learn will excel in any system.
Yes I hear teachers,parents, and students are complaining about this new system, but don't all three always complain about everything new? Teachers should worry about teaching and not using students and their parents as pawns for their own use. That has been going on at Morton for years.

[Suzy Q]

Ted, I couldn't find it on the Life website but I did find this on the Morton website.



Newsroom
Morton High School District 201 Holds Meeting to Inform Parents about the New Grading System

On Tuesday, June 25th Morton High School District 201 held an additional parent meeting at Morton West's Auditorium to inform parents about improvements to the grading and grade reporting system.  Mr. Timothy Truesdale, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Programs, spoke to those in attendance about the new standards-based grading system that will be in place for the upcoming 2013-2014 school year.

This new standards-based system, which District 201 had been preparing for since 2011, will provide students and parents with more complete information on the students' mastery of their learning goals.

Students will now be graded on a 0-5 scale, rather than on the traditional percentage scale. For example, a 5 will indicate exemplary work, equivalent to a A+ grade. A 4 will indicate advanced work (A), a 3 proficient work (B), a 2 basic work (C), a 1 will indicate need for improvement (D), and a 0 will designate no attempt/beginning (E).

Each subject will use definitions for these ratings that relate to the standards students must meet in their courses. For example, in English, a student proficient in grammar and who earns a B is able to write a piece free of grammatical errors. An advanced to exemplary student who earns an A is able to use grammar conventions to enhance his or her writing in ways beyond what was taught in class.

The 0-5 scale is fairer to students than the traditional percentage scale, in which each passing letter grade corresponds to ten percentage points, while failing is 60 points wide.

When a student earns a low grade or doesn't submit an assignment, the resulting "0" can doom the student's grade in the course. There should be consequences for poor or incomplete course work, but only an appropriate one. A "0" on the 0-5 scale lowers the grade, but in a much more fair way.

Report cards will still report letter grades, but parents will also see the students' 0-5 ratings for the standards in each course. This provides parents better information on which standards students are meeting, and which they need extra help to master.

The district has conducted professional development with experts in the field, researched what other schools are doing, held meetings with Parent-Teacher organizations, and held informational sessions for parents and students in November 2012 and May 2013.

[Suzy Q]

It appears that they are really dumbing down the standards.  So a kid who misses assignments still has a chance to pass along with the kids who work their butts off that do good quality work and get it done on time.  This is definitely not the real world!

[Big AL77]

Hmmmm....I have watched videos produced by the district, read articles, and received emails from the district regarding this.   

-It seems to me that students are still issued letter grades, they still have IEPs, they have an honor roll, kids are issued transcripts, teachers judgement is being valued, and grades STILL provide constructive feedback, SO basically everything that counted in a grading system still exists.   

and....

-The district developed a purpose statement for grading so that irrational or toxic practices are eliminated

-The district implemented a redo policy that requires students to get extra help and redo failing work and tests - Sounds like a good idea if redoing work teaches students that listening to the teachers feedback, persistence, and working hard make a difference I am all for that.

-the inappropriate use of averaging, use of grading as a punishment, and the zero for missing work has been has been addressed....I like the idea of MAKING a STUDENT do an assignment instead of REWARDING them by letting then get out of doing the work with a ZERO.

-I GOOGLED THE TOPIC and found many national and local examples of districts using some sort of standards based grading and reporting: Ben Davis High School in Indiana; Naperville North, Round Lake, Grayslake HSD 127,Elmhurst 205, Stevenson and other in Illinois; Wauwatosa WI, Osseo Area School District 179 and Minnetoka in MN, Grand Island School District in NE, and many others.  It seems that creating an effective grading system is a national issue http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/nov11/vol69/num03/Reporting-Student-Learning.aspx

It seems to me that Morton is being innovative, transparent, and working to make grades more meaningful.

[Suzy Q]

The problem lies with kids not doing what they are supposed to do.  If they didn't do an assignment the first time, what makes you think that they will ever do it?  Will there be points off for turning it in late?  How does that motivate students to get things done on time?  It could be instilling bad habits.  How does the teacher move on when some kids constantly lag?  Just curious!

[berwyn senator]

Suzy Q you make very good points,I am concerned with the rating of Morton,when at one time the school was much higher.Mustang54 yes good students will always  find a way,my concern is for the ones left behind.

[jfrickind]

Here is a website set up for the Morton Grading system.

http://mortonpass.weebly.com/

JD

[markberwyn]

Hugely embarrassing, if so. Where's the research defending this method as anything besides a cynical way to mint graduates?

[markberwyn]

Does New Trier use this grading system?

[mustang54]

  The debate over this system is very interesting. I've read where the same system is used at other schools one of which is Stevenson one of the best performing high schools in the state. I have grown to be very skeptical of parents at Morton when they complain about change. They were against a dress code, against punishment for students demonstrating instead of going to class and now a grading system. They are saying some kids don't deserve passing grades, did it ever occur to them maybe their little angels never really deserved the A's they were getting under the old system? I would bet there are a whole lot of students who got A's in the old system still are getting them under the new one. What shocked me most was the graph that said the graduation rate was at 82% a few years ago, for me that was the hardest thing for me to believe. I would think that was the highest in many years!

[markberwyn]

  The debate over this system is very interesting. I've read where the same system is used at other schools one of which is Stevenson one of the best performing high schools in the state.

Link and/or citation please. I'm looking for actual scholarly research supporting the benefits of this grading system.

[markberwyn]

It strikes me that under this system Morton could become a "best performing" school too!

[markberwyn]

Shit, just graduate everybody and before you know it Morton can brag on its 100 percent graduation rate.

[markberwyn]

I came across this story about Proviso considering the same system Morton has. Is Proviso a "top performing" school?

http://www.forestparkreview.com/News/Articles/4-9-2014/Proposed-new-grading-system-gets-an-'F'-from-Proviso-teachers/

[mustang54]

Shit, just graduate everybody and before you know it Morton can brag on its 100 percent graduation rate.

It seems to work for grade schools. When I was spending a lot of time at West the biggest complaint I heard from teachers was having students who read at 5th grade level. How did they make it through grammar school? Does any school hold kids back anymore?

[mustang54]

  The debate over this system is very interesting. I've read where the same system is used at other schools one of which is Stevenson one of the best performing high schools in the state.

Link and/or citation please. I'm looking for actual scholarly research supporting the benefits of this grading system.

The Life had an article about who else has it. Also an interview with the superintendent to. Maybe check Mortons web site? If you want answers go find them I don't do your research. Answer your own questiuons.