Stop Equity Grading in Castro Valley Schools – Support Academic Excellence for All Students

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To: Castro Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) Administration and Board Members

We, the concerned parents, students, and community members of the Castro Valley Unified School District, strongly urge the immediate halt of the "equity grading" initiative in CVUSD schools.

This grading philosophy—heavily promoted by the current Assistant Superintendent (incoming Superintendent as of July 1, 2025)—is rooted in unproven concepts such as those found in Joe Feldman’s Grading for Equity. CVUSD has already spent hundreds of thousands of dollars facilitated by current CVUSD administrators.. These ideas may sound well-intentioned but ultimately undermine educational standards and dilute the values of academic rigor, personal responsibility, and merit that CVUSD has long stood for.

Other school districts such as San Francisco Unified (SFUSD) and Dublin Unified (DUSD) have already walked back similar initiatives in response to widespread community opposition. CVUSD must do the same before irreversible damage is done.

Castro Valley schools have long been known for excellence—in academics, athletics, and the arts. Yet, equity grading has been introduced without transparent communication, sufficient community input, or credible data to demonstrate improved student outcomes or mental well-being. Instead, the district has relied on idealistic theories and partnered with a for-profit consulting group (Crescendo Education Group) to train teachers and push these changes during the 2023–2024 school year.

This grading system was originally designed for underperforming schools—not for a district like CVUSD, which has a strong record of student success. Implementing it here, without student, teacher, or parent buy-in, violates the principles of transparency, fairness, and trust that we expect from our school leadership.

Removing the recognition of hard work, participation, and perseverance does not serve our students—it hinders them.

We call on CVUSD to:

Immediately suspend the implementation of equity grading practices.

Castro Valley community—stand with us. Sign this petition to protect the educational standards, opportunities, and futures of our students. Together, we can preserve the integrity of our schools and ensure all learners are truly supported.