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Temporary passing grade this school year OK’d at 60%
The Board of Education approved the Public School System’s request to amend the minimum passing grade from 63% to 60% due to the current COVID-19 crisis that forced schools to cancel classes early.
During a special board meeting last weekend, BOE member Phillip Mendiola-Long made a motion to amend the grade scale so that the percentage of failing grades be amended from 63% to 60%.
Board chair Janice Tenorio, vice chair Herman Atalig, and board members Andrew Orsini and Mendiola-Long voted yes to approve the motion. Marylou Ada was not present during the meeting to make a vote.
Aside from amending the grade scale, BOE also approved PSS’ request to provide flexibility for students to recover credit or work at the beginning of the next school year, and in regards to grading, that a “pass” or “no pass” be accepted in lieu of percentage grade.
According to Yvonne Pangelinan, associate commissioner for Student & Support Services, PSS requested that the board suspend those requirements so principals and their staff can work on calculating failing credits and annual credits with grace and with some flexibility, considering the extreme circumstances right now.
Grades to determine whether a student passes the school year will be taken from the first quarter up to March 12, when school closures were implemented.
Pangelinan said students who are not graduating this year will be provided time in the next school year to make up course work and credits in order to graduate.
“There’s no [other] way right now, with social distancing and all the measures. Education is an active process. It’s a process of engagement, a process of communication and relationships, so with a computer screen bearing that relationship, there’s no way to re-address student needs. We want to be able to provide that one-to-one,” she said.
Pangelinan said high schools will finalize and input grades and identify failing students from April 6 to 8 and students who were failing by the March 12 date will be given a “will be completed” and will be provided opportunities to complete work and recover their credit in the next school year.
