During the 2023-2024 school year, Aurora Public Schools introduced a new 50% rule on all assignments.
The rule impacts grading, and implements that the lowest score a student can get on an assignment is 50%. This rule has been introduced throughout all APS schools and created some controversy on whether it is really benefiting students, or making their work be less impactful. RHS teachers and students have a variety of opinions and perspectives about the rule.
Mr. Oulman, Rangeview English teacher stated “To me, the problem with the 50% rule is not the students that have F’s…it’s the high level students, you can’t differentiate kids with A’s and B’s. It’s way harder because kids can skip certain assignments and still keep their A… it equates them as equal, but I think if you miss assignments, I don’t think you should be allowed to have that A.”
Oulman and other teachers bring a new perspective towards the 50% rule, considering that it doesn’t give students that diligently complete all their work the credit they deserve. This new rule has given students a cushion when it comes to grading and has made obtaining an A easier.
Teachers have argued that the rule doesn’t allow students to put a lot of effort into doing schoolwork, which doesn’t help prepare students for college and future careers.“In college there isn’t one way to grade…no class starts you at 50% in college, so I think it is a disservice to people preparing for college” stated Mrs. Pratarelli, CCA English teacher.
Since Pratarelli is a CCA teacher, she doesn’t apply this rule in her grading system. In college, grading dynamics are very different, and it won’t be as easy to get an A as it is now in high school.“I think everyone is afraid that it is just a way to avoid F’s without actually improving students,” said Pratarelli. “…if we just want to increase the graduation rate without helping students become better, that’s just about us (the school) and not about the students.”
Multiple school districts have implemented this rule and many believe that it is a way to make schools look better due to the increase in graduation rates.“ I understand it from a school’s perspective if you’re trying to get your graduation rates higher because it is so much harder to fail a class, but at the same time it takes away from the kids actually showing their full potential” expressed William Stevensen, a junior at Rangeview “ I feel like classes are definitely easier and I feel like a lot of people feel that way because it is so hard to fail a class now”
Rangeview math teacher Robin Allen said, “ I think a 40% cap is better because you still need a little wiggle room for people trying… 50% is too much of a boost and I think too many people are taking advantage of it.”
She also mentioned that going down to a 0 is too broad of a range for an F. According to Allen, the rule isn’t entirely a bad idea, but she believes it should be adjusted to 40% to give students a bit of a cushion. This way, they are still motivated to do their work without receiving an excessive boost.
This rule is still fresh here at Rangeview High School and there will be many changes that happen in the future as well. In Rangeview’s future, the hope is for many positive changes and adjustments to the 50% rule, that will for sure help students become better for college and/or future careers.
