The district finally listened and agreed to keep letter grades alongside the new system. My kids and I can finally breathe easier knowing our concerns were actually heard by the school board. We caught their attention and forced them to rethink this change together.
December 17, 2014
Final supporters
FOR ALL CURRENT AND FUTURE LAKOTA FAMILIES: Beginning in the 2015/2016 academic year, the Lakota Local School District (Butler County, OH) plans to utilize Standards Based Report Cards (SBRC) in Grades 3-6, in place of the traditional A-F system that is used currently. Instead of a letter grade for each subject, students will receive a number (1, 2 or 3) for several learning standards in each subject area. The goal is to receive a “3” (3 = meets expectations) for each one by the end of the year, which indicates that the student has met the learning standard. Students will no longer receive letter grades at the elementary level. The numbers are not equivalent to letter grades in any way. There is also no opportunity to be recognized for exceeding the standard. As concerned parents of students in this district, we feel that letter grades still have value and that we should be allowed to provide input before the decision to eliminate letter grades is made.
1) We request that letter grades continue to be given in conjunction with the SBRC when SBRC are rolled out to all Lakota Local School District students in grades 3-6 in the 2015/2016, 2016/2017, and 2017/2018 academic years.
2) We request that during the 2017/2018 academic year the Curriculum Department provide a survey to all Lakota parents who have children in Kindergarten through Grade 6 to determine how the involved families feel about eliminating letter grades from the SBRC. The survey opportunity must be prominently advertised and the survey results must be prominently published.
3) We request that Community Conversations be held at least once at each elementary school and early childhood school during the 2017/2018 academic year in order to inform parents about plans to eliminate letter grades and to hear their responses. These Community Conversations must be prominently advertised, so as to reach the maximum number of affected individuals. Any communication about these meetings must include the phrase "discuss the elimination of letter grades."
Updates
October 13, 2014
I have been hearing from so many of you who are worried that your children will lose the motivation to strive for excellence without the traditional grading scale. It feels like our concerns about these changes are being brushed off by the district but we are not going to let this quiet transition continue without asking for a seat at the table.
October 13, 2014
Seeing so many families join this effort reminds me that I am fighting for my own children alongside neighbors who feel just as ignored. This momentum proves that parents expect to be treated as partners in their child's education rather than spectators.
Reached 100 supporters
October 13, 2014
6 Comments
STUPID IDEA. Just another way to hide how kids are really performing. Keep the A-F system.
Ridiculous. Parents should have a say before they change how our kids are graded. Listen to us for once.
My kid works so hard for A's and feels proud of them. Why take that away? It's just discouraging.
How am I supposed to know if my son is actually doing well? A 3 doesn't tell me anything. Bring back the letter grades.
I want my daughter to know what exceeding expectations looks like. Stop dumbing everything down.
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The district finally listened and agreed to keep letter grades alongside the new system. My kids and I can finally breathe easier knowing our concerns were actually heard by the school board. We caught their attention and forced them to rethink this change together.
December 17, 2014
Final supporters
FOR ALL CURRENT AND FUTURE LAKOTA FAMILIES: Beginning in the 2015/2016 academic year, the Lakota Local School District (Butler County, OH) plans to utilize Standards Based Report Cards (SBRC) in Grades 3-6, in place of the traditional A-F system that is used currently. Instead of a letter grade for each subject, students will receive a number (1, 2 or 3) for several learning standards in each subject area. The goal is to receive a “3” (3 = meets expectations) for each one by the end of the year, which indicates that the student has met the learning standard. Students will no longer receive letter grades at the elementary level. The numbers are not equivalent to letter grades in any way. There is also no opportunity to be recognized for exceeding the standard. As concerned parents of students in this district, we feel that letter grades still have value and that we should be allowed to provide input before the decision to eliminate letter grades is made.
1) We request that letter grades continue to be given in conjunction with the SBRC when SBRC are rolled out to all Lakota Local School District students in grades 3-6 in the 2015/2016, 2016/2017, and 2017/2018 academic years.
2) We request that during the 2017/2018 academic year the Curriculum Department provide a survey to all Lakota parents who have children in Kindergarten through Grade 6 to determine how the involved families feel about eliminating letter grades from the SBRC. The survey opportunity must be prominently advertised and the survey results must be prominently published.
3) We request that Community Conversations be held at least once at each elementary school and early childhood school during the 2017/2018 academic year in order to inform parents about plans to eliminate letter grades and to hear their responses. These Community Conversations must be prominently advertised, so as to reach the maximum number of affected individuals. Any communication about these meetings must include the phrase "discuss the elimination of letter grades."
Updates
October 13, 2014
I have been hearing from so many of you who are worried that your children will lose the motivation to strive for excellence without the traditional grading scale. It feels like our concerns about these changes are being brushed off by the district but we are not going to let this quiet transition continue without asking for a seat at the table.
October 13, 2014
Seeing so many families join this effort reminds me that I am fighting for my own children alongside neighbors who feel just as ignored. This momentum proves that parents expect to be treated as partners in their child's education rather than spectators.
Reached 100 supporters
October 13, 2014
6 Comments
We need transparency. Changing the report cards without asking parents is completely wrong.
STUPID IDEA. Just another way to hide how kids are really performing. Keep the A-F system.
Ridiculous. Parents should have a say before they change how our kids are graded. Listen to us for once.
My kid works so hard for A's and feels proud of them. Why take that away? It's just discouraging.
How am I supposed to know if my son is actually doing well? A 3 doesn't tell me anything. Bring back the letter grades.
I want my daughter to know what exceeding expectations looks like. Stop dumbing everything down.
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We need transparency. Changing the report cards without asking parents is completely wrong.