Broward County School Board may let middle schoolers drop high ...

"Leveling the playing field" equals lowering the bar.Man I wish I had been given such "forgiveness" at school.

Stop gerrymandering the grading system. The students should get and keep the grades that they earn nothing more and nothing less. The school board is encouraging the playing of games with the grading system that will encourage less than honest efforts. If they are ready to and want to take advanced courses then the students should accept the grades that they earn at that time.

Good Lord...The school board continues to re-arrange the deck chairs on the Titanic.

And Florida falls to 49th in the country?

Pathetic

B3
Out

Those who are not informed should not be so quick to comment against the idea.

Example. A 7th grader taking Algebra I (9th grade math). The 7th grade GEM course for Algebra I is much more difficult than the 9th grade Algebra I, even though the 7th grade Algebra I goes into the GPA just like the 9th grade Algebra I. The school board uses more difficult and tricky questions for the 7th grade GEM Algebra I tests than they do for the 9th grade Algebra I tests. Because of this, the 7th grader should be able to repeat the class to level the playing field.

If the school board would give the same degree of difficulty to the 7th graders taking the course as they do to the 9th graders taking the course, then I agree, the 7th graders should have to keep their grade. However, that is not the case.

NR from Coconut Creek wrote:

Those who are not informed should not be so quick to comment against the idea.
Example. A 7th grader taking Algebra I (9th grade math). The 7th grade GEM course for Algebra I is much more difficult than the 9th grade Algebra I, even though the 7th grade Algebra I goes into the GPA just like the 9th grade Algebra I. The school board uses more difficult and tricky questions for the 7th grade GEM Algebra I tests than they do for the 9th grade Algebra I tests. Because of this, the 7th grader should be able to repeat the class to level the playing field.
If the school board would give the same degree of difficulty to the 7th graders taking the course as they do to the 9th graders taking the course, then I agree, the 7th graders should have to keep their grade. However, that is not the case.

Good Lord!!!!

B3
Out

NR from Coconut Creek wrote:

Those who are not informed should not be so quick to comment against the idea.
Example. A 7th grader taking Algebra I (9th grade math). The 7th grade GEM course for Algebra I is much more difficult than the 9th grade Algebra I, even though the 7th grade Algebra I goes into the GPA just like the 9th grade Algebra I. The school board uses more difficult and tricky questions for the 7th grade GEM Algebra I tests than they do for the 9th grade Algebra I tests. Because of this, the 7th grader should be able to repeat the class to level the playing field.
If the school board would give the same degree of difficulty to the 7th graders taking the course as they do to the 9th graders taking the course, then I agree, the 7th graders should have to keep their grade. However, that is not the case.

If a student repeats a course only the higher grade is used in the calculation of his gpa. They are talking about not considering a B in his gpa even without retaking the course. It is kind of a kick in the pants for the students that earned their A's

NR from Coconut Creek wrote:

Those who are not informed should not be so quick to comment against the idea.
Example. A 7th grader taking Algebra I (9th grade math). The 7th grade GEM course for Algebra I is much more difficult than the 9th grade Algebra I, even though the 7th grade Algebra I goes into the GPA just like the 9th grade Algebra I. The school board uses more difficult and tricky questions for the 7th grade GEM Algebra I tests than they do for the 9th grade Algebra I tests. Because of this, the 7th grader should be able to repeat the class to level the playing field.
If the school board would give the same degree of difficulty to the 7th graders taking the course as they do to the 9th graders taking the course, then I agree, the 7th graders should have to keep their grade. However, that is not the case.

If they dropped the GEM Algebra I class in 7th grade - then they can't take the Geometry class in 8th grade either and then they may as well not be in GEM at all. Furthermore, they won't be able to get in to the honors classes unless their middle school teacher recommends them and why would they do that if your not in GEM? They usually don't. If they do get in to the honors class from a regluar curriculum math class they won't be prepared. There is a huge gap between middle school regular math and high school honors math.

In high school the math they are teaching is way harder than the math they are teaching in middle school. Those kids in GEM usually go in to the Algebra II honors class after the 8th grade and that is one tough class as are all the math honors classes in high school.

My point is, if your child is struggling in the GEM program you should probably pull them out anyway. It's only going to get harder. If they are earning a B and you pull them out (which is what dropping the grade for high school really means) for the class ranking, then they will not have the honors math they will want/need in high school anyway. The class ranking is just a small part of what the colleges look for. They also look to see if you took honors or AP classes. Those count more towards the 11th and 12th grade anyway. Not so much in 9th and 10th.

There can only be one Val and Sal - if that means that much, you have alot of kids you are going up against anyway. Keep the B and keep moving on in the honors programs.

this isnt fair to the kids who work to get an A, the fair way.

Middle school kids shouldnt be taking high school classes anyway if this is a problem, and being valedictorian isnt the be all end all. i hate competitiveness.

I bet none of the school board members got to be valedictorians. Give the kid the grade he gets. Let's grade on a curve so more of them could graduate. If that doesn't work pass them if they can't pass the test by the 4th time.

Our education system is turning into a joke. Coddling those kids won't do anything to ease the transition into the real world where they'll have to compete for jobs and work for a living. Life doesn't give breaks, neither should schools.

Bob wrote:

Our education system is turning into a joke. Coddling those kids won't do anything to ease the transition into the real world where they'll have to compete for jobs and work for a living. Life doesn't give breaks, neither should schools.

Raise your hand as tax payer if you are happy...

The Broward County Public School system is a joke. If it wasn't for a few dedicated teachers a lot more children wouldn't graduate. Go to any high school and check out some of the School Board employees working there. Just by their appearances it makes one wonder and what kind of example they are setting. Most homeless people look better...

The Broward School Board needs to work on eliminating the overpaid, unproductive positions that have been created over the years and save the tax payer some money. Let the individual schools be more responsible for their actions so the children will learn how to function in the "real world."

I think the school board should also implement a policy (if they still make policies) that if a former broward student loses out on a job interview because they did not understand the importance of the process and perform poorly, they should be given another chance. Then they should have the same people evaluate the candidates that help them to fill high level positions with useless idiots. That will give the "children" a real look at reality...at least if the eventually go to work for the school board.

There is a simpler solution: Drop the rankings and the valedictorian nonsense. Or, considering how gummint is short of money everywhere, let 'em buy grades :-).

The Broward County School Board is considering a change that would let thousands of middle-school students taking high school level courses drop B's or B-pluses if those grades threaten their chances of attaining valedictorian or salutatorian status.

Ya gotta hand to our school. Who else would have found a way to make our Lauderhillian dunces look even smarter along whiff duh dumbells at BA? We will just play games with the grading system.

No, I'm not suprised. Let's coddle the youngsters, give them cookies and milk and an award for dumping those nasty B's. No need to work any harder. Broward County School Board says it's OK.

Excuses, Excuses! Anytime these school district officials are challenged by parent complaints (which I'm sure that where this bright idea originated) they cave in and find some creative idea to pacify the few who complain. By the way I teach and there is no such thing as a level playing field. Even if you could totaly level it there is a group that will excell beyond expectations, those that will meet them and those who will fall far below. It's called real life, which kids today are not being prepared to face. There is no level playing field in the job market, or real world. How will these kids deal with the unfairness of life when all they've been taught is that everything should be fair?

These School Board Democrats (all are) have rigged and manipulated elections for so long, they want to manipulate grades so that they can choose the class Valedictorian. What a Danana Republic they have given us to unscrew.

"Anything that's going to make it easier on these very young children ... I'd support."

That quote explains so much what is wrong with society today. Let's just keep making everything easier, no need to earn what you get, we will just give it to you.

So what happens three to five years down the road if the school board passes this ridiculous proposal and the Valedictorian beats outs the Salutatorian only because the Val dropped his/her grade while the Sal earned his/her GPA without help from the system? Let’s leave the ‘mulligans’ where they belong with all the weekend golfers and not in the classroom.

Sorry, the Course is the Course,the student is the student, and the grade is the grade. All your Pro-Rata data tells me is that YOU have a dog in this fight.If the student isn't capable of passing the course, let him have a 10 day Drop option, not a fullpost Course Drop option. Do you have any appreciation for what it COSTS taxpayers to fund this course, only to have the Prima Donnas drop AFTER all the funding has been used for him / her?

NR from Coconut Creek wrote:

Those who are not informed should not be so quick to comment against the idea.
Example. A 7th grader taking Algebra I (9th grade math). The 7th grade GEM course for Algebra I is much more difficult than the 9th grade Algebra I, even though the 7th grade Algebra I goes into the GPA just like the 9th grade Algebra I. The school board uses more difficult and tricky questions for the 7th grade GEM Algebra I tests than they do for the 9th grade Algebra I tests. Because of this, the 7th grader should be able to repeat the class to level the playing field.
If the school board would give the same degree of difficulty to the 7th graders taking the course as they do to the 9th graders taking the course, then I agree, the 7th graders should have to keep their grade. However, that is not the case.

First it's "competitions" in which everyone is a winner and all participants gets a trophy so that no one's self-esteem is bruised. Now we won't count grades in tougher classes in the grade point average (which, if truth be told, is really a subjective measure of academic success).

Kids should be encouraged to take courses that stretch their abilities -- but not just academic classes. The class clutz should take PE, the introvert should take public speaking, the bookworm should try vocational courses like shop or mechanics -- even at the risk that these might affect one's grade point. These are often life changing experiences that instill confidence or open new horizons.

A student who struggles through a more-challenging high school course and earns a B+ while actually learning something is far more successful than an already-bright student who breezes to A without learning anything new. Besides, attempting and falling short -- then getting up and trying again -- is one of the greatest lessons a school can instill.

Students should be encouraged to challenge themselves.
But a student who worries about the difference between 5.1234 and 5.1233 is a reflection of a system (or probably more to the point, parents) gone awry.