Published: February 08, 2010 02:50 pm      

Current grading scale handicaps our students

To the Editor:

Please allow me to introduce myself. I’m a single parent of a Danville Middle School student and a Danville High School student. I would appreciate a few minutes of your time to make you aware of the grading scale review that is currently going on in our school system.

I hope everyone in the broader community can share my concern about providing the best possible opportunities to the youth of our district as they enter the ‘real world’ as college students, employees, and future business leaders.

The Danville Community School Corporation currently uses a grading scale that is more strict than the statewide college 10-point scale. The opinion of many concerned district parents is that this grading scale is a serious handicap for college bound students. Entrance into tough fields of study, such as engineering and nursing, is becoming increasingly more competitive and a student’s GPA that is skewed by a tougher high school grading scale is at a serious disadvantage over other Indiana students, as well as out of state applicants. In addition, a lower GPA that is skewed by a ‘higher standard’ grading scale can cheat college applicants out of well deserved scholarship and grant money.

The current grading scale can also negatively impact student self-esteem and morale. A ‘marginal’ student may try their very best and still only achieve a ‘C,’ while their cousin in Brownsburg schools has the same percent, but receives a ‘B.’ At this time, I have a college bound sophomore and a struggling seventh-grader, so I am very invested the outcome of this grading scale review.

This is an intensely personal issue for me and my family. The Danville Community School board members and Superintendent Ward have the direct ability to impact our lives in a positive way by leveling our playing field with other Indiana students; or the ability to cling to their ‘higher standard’ grading scale for ... what? Pride? Distinction? Because it’s always been that way?

My children shouldn’t have to jeopardize their future to pay that price.

Our students can’t afford to be handicapped in these historically difficult times. Whether you have a student in our school system or not, I personally invite you to get involved in something that will have a lasting impact on our community. Please take a moment to study this issue and complete the Grading Scale Survey currently being conducted by the school corporation.

Open public forums for grading scale review are set for 6 p.m. Feb. 9 at Danville Community High School, 6:30 p.m. Feb. 10 at South Elementary School, and 5:30 p.m. Feb. 11 at North Elementary School.

Thank you so much for your time.

Sarah LaCour

Danville