No matter how many assignments they miss or classes they skip, high school students in the Toronto Catholic District School Board can score no lower than 35 per cent on their mid-term report cards this fall.

That bottom line is the result of a new policy enacted by the board in August, which has the teachers’ union in the district fuming about a lack of consultation and decrying the move toward “undermining” educators’ duty to award marks fairly and accurately.

“Our message back to our teachers was that they should not be forced to misrepresent data,” said Dave Szollosy, president of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association’s Toronto Secondary Unit. “We’re not being honest with (students) and what their needs are.”

The 35 per cent mid-term grade minimum was brought in to fulfill a directive from the Ontario Ministry of Education, which called on all school districts to determine lower limits of failing grades in its 2010 “Growing Success” report. TCDSB spokesperson John Yan explained that the lower limit applies only to mid-term report cards, which are being handed out this month at schools across the district. If a less-than-stellar student plays hooky all year, for example, they can get a final grade that’s lower than 35 per cent.

He added that teachers in the school district have been awarding minimum mid-term grades for years. “We enshrined in policy what was already common practice,” he said.

“Getting a zero at the midterm, you’re more likely to pack it up than if you’re getting 35 per cent … At the end of the day, it’s about encouraging and supporting students to reach their full potential.”

Ministry spokesperson Gary Wheeler confirmed Thursday that the province requires all school districts to “determine the lower limit of the range of percentage marks below 50 per cent that teachers may record on the report cards of students in Grades 9 to 12.”

Pointing to the report’s stipulation that teachers and “school communities” be consulted when choosing these limits, Szollosy repeated that the TCDSB failed to properly loop in teachers on the decision.

“This is the first time it’s actually come into play, and the board has sent out directives to teachers to only record the minimum mark of 35 per cent,” Szollosy said. “The whole aspect of professional judgment and what the College of Teachers says about ethical integrity and honesty … We’re undermining teachers’ professionalism in that context.”

Szollosy added that he believes inflated marks for underperforming students, however slight, might mask certain needs they have that could go unaddressed. He also suggested the mandatory lower limit could skew board-wide grade averages. The union has told teachers to follow the rule, but include a footnote describing the pupil’s true academic standing.

Yan dismissed the union’s criticisms, stating the school board has been discussing the policy at meetings with school department heads — which include teachers — since 2012, and that only final marks are included in their wider grade averages.

Despite the province’s lower limit requirement, school districts in the GTA have different approaches to the issue. The Toronto District School Board doesn’t have a number that’s “carved in stone,” but teachers typically don’t award marks lower than 35 per cent on high school mid-term report cards, said spokesperson Ryan Bird.

The Peel and York Region District School Boards, meanwhile, do not have any rules to limit low grades. “Our policy is, the mark that the student earns is the mark that the student receives,” said York Region District School Board spokesperson Licinio Miguelo.

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PROS AND CONS TO LIMITING LOW GRADES

Pros:

For students motivated by avoidance of failure rather than fulfillment of success, minimum grades can avoid the demoralizing impact of rock-bottom grades.

Some argue extremely low marks can “over-punish” students and offer no motivation to improve.

Students who suffer big swings in performance and effort may get a better chance at recovering to achieve a passing mark.

Cons:

Critics say it can encourage complacency

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It can be seen as an unfair leg-up for students who aren’t putting in an effort.

It can promote false optimism about one’s abilities

Source: ernweb.com