Please sign the petition! MBMS Moves to a Pass/Fail Grading System Making it MORE Difficult to Motivate Kids for Distance Learning. Please sign this petition if you are an MBMS parent and want to update the NEW grading policy to OPTIONAL pass/fail grading system like the one at MCHS which states: Continue with A-F grades but give students the hold harmless protection of being able to convert any passing grade (A-D) into a P. No student can fail from a passing grade at the 3rd quarter into an F grade.

We are not sure if everyone is aware, but the school board changed the grading policy for MBMS to a MANDATORY pass/fail from the A-F grading system for the 3rd Trimester of the 2019-2020 school year. We know this pandemic has affected families differently and our hearts go out to those families with greater challenges than others. However, this grading policy change creates more challenges than it does solutions. Given the variability of how the pandemic has affected families, we believe a change in this policy to allow families to choose the grading system that is right for their families should be allowed at MBMS like they are doing at Mira Costa High School.

My 6th and 7th grade boys were initially very challenged by the distance learning process. They were missing their Zoom classes and not getting their assignments in on time. It took a few weeks & some extra discipline around electronics time, but we found our rhythm. The kids were disappointed in their grades and welcomed the structure. As a parent, I became more engaged in their studies and this also helped motivate them further. Recently, they are FINALLY seeing the effect of their newfound efforts in their grades.

All this came crashing down this past Wednesday when the district made the unilateral decision to eliminate the A-F grading system and implement a MANDATORY pass/fail grading system at MBMS. My kids have now realized that they do not need to attend a single Zoom class, hand in another assignment or assessment/test and they will still get a “pass.” As their parent, I plan to have consequences for missed assignments, assessments and zoom meetings. However, that won’t solve the issue that they are completely demotivated to put much effort into school now that the grading system that they’ve always known is gone. 

While the grades will be available on Aeries until the end of the quarter, the students know that they will be erased and replaced with a P.  Unfortunately, the school board's hope that this factor would maintain the students' drive isn't holding true.  The new mandatory p/f grading policy has been a big demotivator for students.  We are already seeing that in the lower attendance at this week's Zoom calls.  Why not just make the grading system optional and fill this gap rather than keep a policy that isn't working?

In a time of uncertainty having the familiar structure is critical to helping kids stay focused and less stressed. We understand that this decision was made by the board that was in communication with other school districts. Many of these districts moved to the pass/fail system primarily because their students couldn’t remotely access the distance learning because they lack the technology. However, our district doesn’t have that challenge with the free Chromebook and iPad rental program.

The board also utilized a survey of MBMS teachers, parents & 8th grade students. Unfortunately, the 65% of the 573 MBMS parents who voted to KEEP the A-F grading system did not convince the school board. The vote seemed to weigh heavily on the 38% of the MBMS Teachers/Counselors who responded to the survey. 65% (17 teachers) of the 26 MBMS Teachers/Counselors, favored the pass/fail system. These 17 teachers who voted for pass/fail ONLY represent 25% of the MBMS Teachers/Counselors. 75% of the MBMS Counselors/Teachers DID NOT VOTE or voted FOR A-F grading scale! Neither the teachers, nor the parents were given a choice of making the grading systems optional. This optionality could have significantly changed the voting. Of the few MBMS teachers that voted, their comments were that this was a stressful and crazy time of uncertainty and they didn’t want their students to worry about their grades since grades don’t matter in middle school. In my experience as a parent, in a time of uncertainty, MORE structure and a familiar grading system, rather than less structure and varying the grading system is consistently a better remedy. Don't get us started on relying on the opinion of the 14 year old 8th grade students. We would have voted the way they did if we could have an extra month of summer vacation with no price to pay!

But seriously, if it was difficult to motivate kids for distance learning prior to this change, it’s going to be even more difficult now. The school board has made distance learning even more burdensome for parents with this move, not less! Please speak out, sign this petition, share it with other MBMS parents and let Dr. Matthew’s (mmatthews@mbusd.org) know your perspective on this issue before it’s too late. This can be easily rectified by the board modifying their decision to allow parents the right to choose the grading system that is right for their children like they are doing for the Mira Costa High School students.