In the new grading system, summative grades are worth 70 percent of a students’ average and formative grades are worth 30 percent.

The grading system was changed after it was announced that the STAAR test would count for 15 percent of a students’ overall grade.

“The change is about knowing if students master what is being taught,” associate principal Tamy Smalskas said. “Because of that, we have to get students focused on what they know.”   

The grading policy enforces the importance of test-taking.

“My understanding of it is that grades are really based on what we have learned, and tests show what students have learned,” biology teacher Lenora Naylor said. “So in an effort to make tests more meaningful to students, they changed it to 70/30.”

According to the new policy, students that fail tests can retake them.

“When we look at data now, we see a smaller percentage of kids failing because of the retest opportunity,” Mrs. Smalskas said. “Students truly need to know what concepts they are missing and have the chance to relearn and retest.”

Last year, formative and summative grades were weighted the same.

“I feel like the change makes classes harder because I don’t test well,” sophomore Sam Early said. “And I feel like I don’t have to do anything in the class that’s a daily grade because it hardly affects me.”

Some students think the new grading policy makes classes harder to pass.

“I feel like the 70/30 grading policy makes it more difficult for students to bring their grades up,” senior Nick Mills said. “I understand that teachers are trying to help students out by giving retake opportunities, but it’s still way too hard.”

Quizzes are considered formative grades and are weighted like daily grades.

“Tests are a gigantic deal now and quizzes and homework are insignificant,” junior Kimberly Kintz said. “It makes me even more stressed about tests.”

Though the change may challenge students, it could improve test grades and prepare students for the future.

“Having homework weight the same as tests isn’t going to benefit you,” Mrs. Naylor said. “If you can’t apply what you’ve learned then you won’t be very successful in an education or a work setting.”

Story by Kayla Crowley 

Photo by Taylor McKinney