Why We Have a Pass/Fail System in Freshman Year
We are off to a great start this week!
I wanted to remind parents of freshman students that in their three core-subject classes (English, History, and Science), ninth grade students will be assessed on a pass/fail (P/F) grading system instead of traditional letter grade during the first trimester.
This shift has been prevalent in recent years in numerous schools, colleges, and universities, including programs at Yale, Stanford, and Harvard, where research, best practices, and a commitment to promoting innovation and pedagogical excellence help to drive decisions. The system now applies to CA ninth graders (starting with the Class of 2018) during this first trimester only.
Rationale
In recent years, much research has been done on what Eric Schaps at the Developmental Studies Center in California describes as a focus on “what students ought to be able to do, that is, what we will demand of them – as contrasted with focusing on what we can do to support students’ development” as learners. In other words, grades too often become the ends themselves, rather than simply being one stage in a learning process or a dialogue with the teacher. Time and again, we see as students enter high school that their fear of a low grade often holds them back. Rather than really trying something more divergent or creative, they might “play it safe.” In so many areas, CA is a school that fosters intelligent risk-taking and creativity. Our college counseling staff, student support staff, and faculty members are excited to use this new paradigm to support that. In fact, the decision emerged from teachers’ ongoing professional development to find the best ways to prepare students for the future.
Precedent
Certainly, there is precedent at other institutions for P/F grading, but also at CA. Four years ago, we re-worked our freshman World History course in ways that helped students develop their critical thinking skills and explore the world. This Global Perspectives course, which was the first to use a P/F system for the first trimester, has produced extraordinarily positive results. Teachers Paul Kim and Elissa Wolf-Tinsman have noticed that their students have been able to “build metacognitive awareness as a starting point for understanding assessment” and themselves as learners. They quickly learn to see the “value of working through iterative work cycles when necessary.” The experience in the course has helped train students to understand that learning is a process that often takes multiple steps. Mr. Kim and Ms. Wolf-Tinsman have found that the conversations they have been able to have with students about their progress—free from the limiting perspective of letter grades—has helped build a climate of trust and support that is so essential.
In reviewing CA’s use of P/F grades in the Upper School, Head of School Mike Davis underscored that the outcomes were immediate and recognizable: “Teachers talked about how students were asking questions they had never asked before; that they were paying closer attention and taking part in a more open and focused way.” CA’s experience with its Global Perspectives course is in keeping with other educational institutions. Pass/Fail grading has been associated with less stress, improved mood, better group cohesion, students taking more academic risks, and providing a more objective grading system.
Critical Thinking & College Readiness
Additionally, numerous CA efforts such as building an Innovation Lab designed for exploration, introducing courses that incorporate project-based learning, and use of design thinking are all at the heart of encouraging students to engage in learning, and to “own” that process themselves. We know from interviewing CA alumni and college admission deans that CA has a challenging and rigorous program that prepares students well for college and beyond. Our students continue to perform well on things like AP exams and standardized tests. Last year, our average ACT scores were the highest in the school’s history, and for the past two years, we have had some of the highest SAT averages, as well. CA students continue to perform in the top 10% of those taking the College Work and Readiness Assessment, and outperform many college freshmen taking a similar exam.
Other Courses, Other Trimesters?
With such positive results, one may wonder why the freshman Mathematics and World Language courses will not use the same P/F system. The answer is simple: many of those classes are comprised of students from different grades working at different levels. These classes don’t lend themselves to that system.
One might also ask why this system will be used only the first trimester. The fact is that we operate in an educational world where letter grades are a standard element of the college application process. While that is a long way off for freshmen, CA’s grade point averages are calculated based on cumulative results of all trimester marks. (For those courses using the P/F system, students receive full credit for the course, but no numeric value for the averaging of a GPA). Our belief is that introducing our freshmen to their high school careers with the encouragement to truly stretch themselves, and to become acclimated to the rigor and expectations of high school without the worry of a final grade will set the standard of engagement for their entire high school careers.
We found this to be true last year when we started this new grading policy. Students remarked that the pressure was reduced in this new system. In a survey from last year, 79% of freshmen expressed that having a few pass/fail classes helped them to feel less anxiety and allowed them to take more academic risks. Additionally, there were fewer ninth grade students on our ‘academic concern’ list. Students were able to get acclimated to high school and then transition smoothly to the traditional grading scale in the second trimester.
What Parents & Students Can Expect
When teachers issue mid-trimester grades, parents and students will find a P/F indication, as well as thorough feedback from the course instructor. Parent/Teacher conferences follow the posting of mid-tri grades, and again, provide ample opportunity for feedback. Our experience with the P/F system is that the greater engagement in class provides even more opportunities for daily or weekly teacher feedback and conferencing with students.
We hope you will share our enthusiasm as you see the results this fall. I encourage any parents or students who have questions or concerns about this to stop by or contact me. We are looking forward to a great year.
© 2023 Colorado Academy
