Fourth Quarter will be Pass/Fail For MCPS Students

Montgomery County Public School students won’t be receiving traditional letter grades for the fourth and final marking period of this school year.

Instead, students will receive pass/incomplete or credit/no credit, it was announced Sunday in information posted on the district’s webpage.

Reports cards for the current marking period will include the normal letter system and will be mailed home the week of April 27. But after that, the district will begin the new system as it continues with its online learning.

Deciding to go with pass or fail was “a complex decision,” according to information on the website. “We want to ensure that our grading system has a positive impact and can only help our students’ academic standing.”

The new grading system “will ensure fairness and equity for all students, while also engaging students in the curriculum, proving meaningful feedback and tracking their progress.”

During this stressful time, “there is no perfect grading system,” according to the information posted on the website.

Meanwhile, the district will continue not taking daily attendance. Instead, it will be up to the teachers and school administrators to monitor student engagement and participation through such factors as completing assignments, attending virtual classes and office hours and handing in assignments.

Monday begins the district’s next phase of online learning. Elementary students will have math lessons three days a week, participate in literacy lessons two days a week and work on art, music and physical education on their own time while using prerecorded lessons that will be available every other Monday.

Elementary students are expected to spend 11 to 13.5 hours per week in live classroom meeting and on assignments.

Older students will receive one or two assignments each week in each course and should spend up to four hours a day on these.

Also, beginning Monday meal service will operate four days a week, but students will receive food for all five days. Meals will not be distributed on Thursdays.

Two more sites have been added to the growing list of places young people can receive these meals. The new sites are at John Poole Middle School in Poolesville and Meadow Hill Elementary School in Rockville. That makes a total of 50 distribution sites.

Beginning this week, each Wednesday students can pick up instruction materials when they come for their food. The math and literacy materials are designed for elementary and secondary students.

About Suzanne Pollak

Suzanne is a freelance reporter with Montgomery Community Media. She has over 35 years professional experience writing for newspapers, magazines, non-profit newsletters and the web.

View all posts by Suzanne Pollak