Last week this blog posted on changes to The District's grading system being blocked by the IHSA.
As previously posted, changing The District's grading system has been proven to not be conducive to students who are seeking to go to college. Additionally, it has proven to not be conducive to student athletes. So, why was the change made? More importantly, why was the change allowed to be made without knowing how it would affect students?
As previously posted, changing The District's grading system has been proven to not be conducive to students who are seeking to go to college. Additionally, it has proven to not be conducive to student athletes. So, why was the change made? More importantly, why was the change allowed to be made without knowing how it would affect students?
Today, we learn that apparently some blame falls on principals, counselors and athletic directors for the change being made, because "they didn't mention concerns." If they had mentioned concerns, would anybody have listened? They certainly didn't listen to parents when they showed up to voice their concerns.
IHSA rules compel District 150 to reverse grading policy
School District 150 is going back to semester-long courses, with semester grades and credits, for all high school classes, reversing a policy of yearlong courses and credits that went into effect this year.
Though several parents protested yearlong courses, saying it could jeopardize some seniors' chances for college admissions and scholarships, the district's reversal came about because of athletic eligibility rules.
"Essentially, it's being done to be compliant with IHSA," said District 150 spokesman Chris Coplan.
Kim Hudson, mother of a Peoria High School senior who ran into problems applying for colleges and scholarships because of the yearlong policy, still is frustrated with the district, but she's ready to move on.
"To me, it makes it look like they consider what happens to athletes more important than what happens to the average student," Hudson said. "But I'm not ready to fight that battle."
"...neither principals, counselors nor athletic directors mentioned concerns about the yearlong policy
when it was first discussed in the spring." Coplan
"It didn't come up until we started moving forward with the policy," he said.
Concerns about how yearlong courses would affect athletic eligibility - for instance, if a high school junior failed a yearlong course would he be ineligible for a year - came up about the same time parents started expressing concerns about college admissions, Coplan said.
After contacting the IHSA, the district chose to return to allowing students to accumulate credits at the end of a semester rather than the end of the school year.
Hudson and Paris McConnell, another parent of a Peoria High student, said they wish the district had gotten more input from parents before switching to yearlong courses.
Most colleges make admissions decisions based on a student's showing in the junior year of high school. In some cases, admissions officers want to see a high school senior's grades for the first semester, which can't happen with yearlong courses.
Hudson said at least one college placed her daughter's application on hold until she submitted first semester grades. Another said her chances of receiving a scholarship would be diminished. Source