Newport-Mesa Unified relaxes grad requirements, eliminates failing grades during COVID-19 pandemic

Newport-Mesa Unified School District students engaged in distance learning during the coronavirus pandemic were given a reprieve Tuesday, when school board members loosened policies on grading, eliminating marks for elementary students and failing grades at the secondary school level.

The change was one of several “no harm” measures, approved by a 6-1 vote, to support the mental health and well-being of students learning at home since the district on April 2 closed campuses through the remainder of the academic year.

Board Vice President Karen Yelsey said district leaders are hoping to find some way to create a sense of consistency and normalcy in a time of stress and isolation.

“The largest unintended consequence of this distance learning and what we’re doing is going to be the mental health aspect,” she said, indicating additional supports could be needed into next school year. “I’m really concerned about what this entire pandemic is doing to our kids.”

Under the new rules, elementary school students will continue to receive teacher comments on their report cards for the third trimester but will not get numerical marks or effort marks. Absences will also not be recorded through the 2019-20 school year.

Secondary students will receive grades, but only A’s, B’s and C’s will be recorded in accordance with a new second-semester grading scale, where 85% to 100% is marked as an A grade, while 70% to 84% is considered a B and grades between 55% and 69% are a C.

Students earning grades below 55%, or who are not able to complete required coursework, will be given an incomplete and must make up the work within six weeks of the following semester, either in summer or fall, to receive a grade.

Chief Academic Officer Russell Lee-Sung said all Orange County school districts have temporarily eliminated failing grades, which would require students to repeat courses and be permanently recorded in transcripts.

By contrast, the incomplete option is aligned with guidance Newport-Mesa Unified received from state and county education experts and offers students a chance to correct course.

“Under normal circumstances, an incomplete is used for those extenuating situations,” Lee-Sung told board members. “I would definitely put a global pandemic and the impact to learning as an extenuating situation.”

He said staff decided against offering a “pass/fail” or “credit/no credit” option, as those classes would not be calculated into student GPAs. Allowing students to choose a grading method on a class-by-class basis was an option not preferred by colleges in the state’s UC/CSU system.

Graduation requirements for the class of 2020 have also been eased. The total credits required for graduation at comprehensive high schools will decrease from 230 to 220. The required number of elective credits will also decrease, from 80 to 70.

Those attending continuation or independent-study high schools will have to earn 210 total credits to graduate, with 60 elective credits required. Any NMUSD student choosing to withdraw from an elective course will not receive a “Withdraw Fail” mark on their transcripts for second semester.

Board members also removed the community service hour requirement for graduating seniors and suspended senior project completion as necessary for graduation unless teachers have made the work part of a required class assignment.

Board President Martha Fluor cast the lone dissenting vote, saying grades impose upon kids forced to essentially learn on their own at home. She instead favored teachers giving class grades but having only a “credit/incomplete” be recorded on transcripts.

“I’m concerned about the expectations that these students have the wherewithal, the self-awareness and the capacity to reach out and ask for help,” Fluor said.

Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber.