Did Hinsdale D-86 Rush Controversial Grading Policy?

DARIEN, IL — A Hinsdale High School District 86 board member is questioning a controversial new grading policy that she says was carried out three years ahead of schedule. She says the district rushed through the changes during a pandemic.

At last week's school board meeting, member Peggy James, who was elected in April, pointed to the district's information for the Feb. 13, 2020, meeting. She said it stated that the board would implement the new policy by the 2024-25 school year.

But in response to a Patch inquiry, district spokesman Chris Jasculca said the grading policy changes were not moved up. He noted the board's information from the 2020 meeting said the grading policy would be "fully implemented" by the 2024-25 year. District documents indicate that officials must still implement common district gradebook categories and discuss an academic integrity policy. That work is expected to be done next year.

James and board members Debbie Levinthal and Jeff Waters have criticized the new grading policy. In particular, they don't like that in some classes, 90 percent to 100 percent of grades are dependent on tests. They also object to variations in the retake policies.

"When did the administration decide to move up the implementation by three years in the middle of a pandemic without actually communicating that the timeline has changed?" James said at last week's board meeting. "I continue to have conversations with community members who have students experiencing high stress levels and anxiety, mostly related to the new grading and the changes that they are experiencing coming back to school in person."

James said many have dropped or switched classes as a result.

"We've also heard as recently as last Friday that no one has dropped or switched classes because of grading. Why not? Is that being tracked? Are they somehow reported as something else? I've heard from people from both South and Central that people have dropped because of grading," James said.

Last spring, the board received an update on proposed changes to grading policies. At the time, the emphasis was on the removal of zeroes. Under the new rules, students get a 50 percent for missing work. For major assignments that are missing, students receive a grade called "ME," or "missing and essential." With an ME, a student cannot pass a class without doing the work in question.

During a school board candidates forum last spring, participants said they did not like the idea of doing away with zeroes. But the focus now is on the classes with grades completely dependent on tests.

The district says it is changing grading policies, in part, because officials counted nearly 40 different grading scales between the two schools. Officials said they wanted a common system.

During public input in recent meetings, parents have questioned the new policy. At last week's session, Hinsdale resident Kim Notaro was among the critics.

"Our kids are suffering. My kid wanted to drop out of school," Notaro said.

She blamed board members Erik Held, Kathleen Hirsman and Cynthia Hanson, who are holdovers from the previous board, for the continuation of the policy.

"The three of you sit there and don't listen to us," she said. "Care about somebody other than yourselves."