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I am one member of a five person board. The opinions I express on this forum are mine only, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Escambia County Staff, Administrators, Employees, or anyone else associated with Escambia County Florida. I am interested in establishing this blog as a means of additional transparency to the public, outreach to the community, and information dissemination to all who choose to look. Feedback is welcome, but because public participation is equally encouraged, appropriate language and decorum is mandatory. Although this is not my campaign site for re-election--sometimes campaign related information will be discussed, therefore in an abundance of caution I add the following :








Monday, April 13, 2015

No Zero Grading Part IV: How Texas Addressed the Issue




It was easy.

The legislature received complaints from teachers about artificial grade manipulation being dictated downward from administrators--stymieing individual teacher discretion while simultaneously precluding such teachers from assigning students any letter grade below an artificially set "grade floor" of 50, 60, or even as high as 70!

These legislators passed the Texas Truth in Grading Act in 2009--and it passed the legislature with unanimous support.  Unanimous.

Here is the simple text of the original bill.  I think we may need something like this locally.  I'm bringing this to the board.


81R13223 EAH-F
By: NelsonS.B. No. 2033
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to adoption of a school district grading policy.
       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
       SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 28, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 28.0216 to read as follows:
       Sec. 28.0216.  DISTRICT GRADING POLICY. A school district
shall adopt a grading policy, including provisions for the
assignment of grades on class assignments and examinations, before
each school year. A district grading policy:
             (1)  must require a classroom teacher to assign a grade
that reflects the student's relative mastery of an assignment; and
             (2)  may not require a classroom teacher to assign a
minimum grade for an assignment without regard to the student's
quality of work.
       SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 2009-2010
school year.
       SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2009.

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