The San Francisco Unified School District has decided not to proceed with a contentious equity grading system that was suggested earlier this week following extensive opposition.
This initiative, termed “Grading for Equity,” was introduced at a SFUSD Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, as per Superintendent Maria Su. The aim was to provide a “professional development opportunity in standards-based grading.”
According to Voice of San Francisco, the proposed framework emphasized that a student’s grade for the semester would primarily be determined by their performance on the final exam, which they could retake multiple times if needed.
Homework and weekly tests would not impact the grade, and neither would late assignments, tardiness to class or absence from school.
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U.S. Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., called out the proposal, sarcastically describing it as a “brilliant solution.”
“San Francisco has come up with a brilliant solution for its failing schools. Students simply won’t be failed,” Kiley wrote on X. “Under the new ‘Grading for Equity’ plan, Fs are now Cs; Bs are now As; homework and tests are ungraded; truancy is unpunished; and finals can be re-taken again and again.”
U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., also shared his opinion on the proposed grading system on his personal X account.
“My immigrant dad asked me where the missing 10% went when I scored a 90. He came to America for the chance to work hard & pursue excellence. Giving A’s for 80% & no homework is not equity—it betrays the American Dream and every parent who wants more for their kids,” he wrote.
U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., criticized the “Grading for Equity” proposal, saying it goes against everything his immigrant father taught him about the American Dream. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
A statement from Su on SFUSD’s X account on Wednesday said that there have been no changes to grading practices within the school district and no action was taken at the meeting.
She said each student within the school district is held to a high standard and SFUSD’s goal is to “support student success by prioritizing learning and mastery.”
“It’s clear that there are a lot of questions, concerns and misinformation with this proposal. We want to make sure any changes benefit our students,” Su wrote, in part.
