Hinsdale D-86's Grades Undergo Scrutiny

DARIEN, IL — Some members of the Hinsdale High School District 86 board say new grading policies are discouraging homework and may be hurting students.

But the administration says that is not the case, pointing to an increase in the number of A's last semester.

Under the new policies, the school district is giving 50 percent grades for missing work, rather than zeroes. Also, homework is making up a smaller part of most classes' grades — from zero to 30 percent.

In the last semester, Central saw a 10 percent increase in A's, while South experienced a 15 percent hike, according to the district. Meanwhile, B's, C's and D's have remained steady.

The schools are giving M grades when students are missing work, giving them a chance to finish it. If they ultimately don't, they are given F's, marked as 50 percent.

Last week, the school board discussed the new policies. Members Jeff Waters, Peggy James and Debbie Levinthal expressed reservations.

Waters wondered how A's could have increased so much when homework is being diminished, noting students get 50 percent for failing to finish work.

The new policies, he said, are ripe with disincentives and unintended consequences. He questioned how the new system helps students, when he said the policies discourage the repetition that fosters comprehension and mastery.

"You guys couldn't qualify how we get the 10 and 15 percent increases, but we did," Waters said. "That's pretty sharp."

"Are you suggesting a spike in higher grades is a negative thing?" asked Chris Covino, assistant superintendent for academics.

"No, not at all," Waters said. "I'm suggesting that I don't know how a spike occurs when we discourage repetition."

James asked how the grading scale promotes students' study skills, which she referred to as "executive functioning."

Covino said grades are designed to demonstrate students' ability, not whether they are good students.

"In the end, grading is a communication tool. It's not a punishment, and it's not a reward. It's a way to communicate what a student can do in a class," Covino said.

However, James emphasized homework, saying it promotes discipline and habits that lead to future success.

Member Erik Held backed the new policies.

"Our previous system didn't have the supports there," Held said. "By not identifying missing essentials and not identifying those opportunities for student improvement, we were telling (students) the door is closed to learning on this subject."

Now, he said, the punishment for not doing the work is doing the work.

"But also the reward for doing the work is learning," Held said.

Covino repeatedly said homework was not being discouraged. But he said teachers have always struggled to get students to finish it.

"It's something we as teachers are challenged by all the time," he said. "You probably won't find a teacher that says, 'Oh, no, I've never had a problem with students turning in work. They all do it for me, every single day.' That's just not something you're going to hear. And if you do, let's hire that teacher because they have some magic juice of some kind."

The school board discussed the grading policies for more than an hour. The majority appeared to support the new system.

District residents have expressed concern with the policies.