UCB Parents School Recommendations
Berkeley Schools Retention Policy
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Jan 2000
(from a discussion regarding a meeting about the retention policy for Berkeley High freshmen)
Follow-up to the post on BUSD Retention Policy - here is the link
to the complete Promotion, Retention, Acceleration and Assignment Policy.
http://www.berkeley.k12.ca.us/Board%20of%20Education/Policies/retentionpolicy.htm
I just wanted to respond by citing a real problem with this policy. My
child is in honors geometry and was doing fine with a B (A's & B's in
all other courses). This student then blew a math exam really badly and
had a C/D for the last progress report (not report card). Because
anything less than a "C" is considered not passing, the "D" was done
away with, the "C" was dropped, and the entire grade changed to an "F."
Now we have to meet with the teacher to discuss switching out of honors
rather than have the pressure created by the new policy. This is a very
good student who is more than capable of succeeding in this course and
was devastated. Please do your best to attend this meeting!
Please post anonymously - thanks!
I don't think this is a new policy. My son, now a junior, made a D in
freshman algebra the second semester. Though he passed the first
semester, the D prevented him from receiving credit for the year and
he had to re-take the entire year of algebra as a sophomore. According
to the math department head at the time, there was no way to just make
up the semester he didn't pass. The real pity was that his low grades
as a freshman were due in part to a strong dislike for CPM math and
his refusal to "play that game". So his punishment was repeating the
whole CPM math course a second time. It really was an unfair
punishment - there was absolutely no other alternative available. He
was able to catch up again by taking geometry over the summer at
Piedmont High, and he did very well. But now here he is as a junior
once again in CPM math, disliking it as much as ever, and right now it
is very questionable whether he will be able to pull off a C - he had
a C/D on his progress report.
True, kids who are not getting it shouldn't move on to the next level.
But what about the kids who CAN get it if only the material is
presented in a different way? My son is not getting Ds in math because
he doesn't understand it - he is getting Ds because he can't relate to
the CPM style of presentation. It seems really unfair to force kids
like this to repeat the same class that caused the problem in the
first place. If we are going to have this policy of "D means no
credit", then I would like to see other alternatives provided for the
kids who have conflicts with a one-size-fits-all teaching strategy.
How about self-paced math classes, "traditionally" taught math
classes, half- and full-year math taught over the summer, etc.?
Ginger
I wonder if this is going to hurt the very kids it's meant to help? I
have a freshman who can make B's under very unusual circumstances; for
instance an exceptional teacher that he happens to click with. But
under normal conditions he always just squeaks by with C's and D's and
the occasional F. He is quite happy and satisfied to do minimal school
work in exchange for crummy grades. He has other interests outside of
school and could care less what his GPA looks like, no matter how much
effort I spend, no matter what resources his teachers make available.
Of course I don't like his attitude about school, but that's the way
it is with him. Now we have the prospect that he will be held
back. Given his past performance, it could happen year after
year. Realistically, what are the chances that things will somehow
change, and he'll start caring about school, and his grades will
suddenly improve? I really don't see this happening. So what are the
options? Independent Studies is not an option for this kid - he is
not motivated to do the work *with* prodding, so how can he do it on
his own? My only option seems to be to change him to a smaller
private school, where hopefully he will respond to the added
structure, attention, interaction with adults. I can't help thinking
that there must be other kids at BHS like my kid, who do not have
private school as an option. What is going to happen to them?
Anonymous
I cannot attend the workshop on this issue, but I agree with the school
district on this. Kids are moved through the system without learning the
material. I was one of those and thus have about an 8th grade education in
math. I've regretted this my entire life. I believe BHS has lots of
opportunities for students to get help. The teachers often tell students
to come see them at lunch or after school. They can work in study
groups. There is tutoring available. Somehow the district needs to get
the attention of the students and parents and just passing them through
does not send the message that education is important, and worse, the kids
won't be able to pass the tests that will get them into college, so after
high school you just have a bunch of kids that have failed at school and
have no where to go. Without the education their lives are pretty well
determined and there's not a lot of opportunity. The way the comment from
the parent was worded, it sounded like the kids would fail the entire
grade, but I'm sure they will have just failed the one class which they
should be able to make up in summer school.
toby
I think the comments on the BUSD Promotion and Retention Policy need
some clarification and background info; I listened to the board
meeting when this policy was discussed. Here is what I have: On
November 17th, the Board approved changes (driven by state mandates)
to the district's policy that will require students to receive a C in
order to get credit for the high school courses taken. In addition,
its implementation was modified: the principal recommended and the
Board approved " a process of 'phasing in' the promotion and retention
policy" starting with the 9th grade. Therefore, this year all
10th,11th and 12th graders will be exempt from the policy and for them
a D grade still gets course credit and counts toward graduation. The
reason for 'phasing in' the policy is that the school would be unable
to accommodate the large numbers of students who would need to retake
a course...Administrators said during school year 98-99, 1900 students
would have been impacted by this policy and I think that means there
were 1900 students who received Ds that year. Your number at 3,000
may include students receiving Fs.
The discussion at the board meeting that night included the need for
focus on staff development, student attendance, school discipline, how
to provide student support and the use of technology as ways to help
kids succeed.
For comparison: In the past (and for the 10, 11 and 12 graders this
year), when a high school student gets a D in a course, the student
gets credit for taking the course but can not move to then next level
without retaking the course and earning a C. From now on (but only
for 9th graders this year), a D is no longer a passing grade. To get
course credit, the student must get at least a C. The D (or F)
student would need to take the course over and get a C to get credit
toward graduation.
Listening to that discussion was a real eye opener for me. You can
tune into BUSD Board meetings on the 1st and 3rd Wed. of the month,
beginning at 7:30 PM. Board meetings are broadcast on the radio
(KPFB/FM 89.3) and if you have cable, turn to channel 25. The Board
meeting on January 19th will be chock full of pressing issues for the
district. It will be one worth listening to.
Lissa
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