Montgomery County Public Schools presented proposed revisions to its secondary grading and reporting regulation (IK-AR) during the Education and Culture Committee meeting on July 17, saying the changes aim to make grades more consistent, timely and representative of student learning.

The presentation was given by Dr. Wilkerson, who described the policy updates as focused on three priorities: clearer communication of student performance, increased student accountability, and reduced variance in grading practice across schools and classrooms. “Grades must be timely, clear, and consistent,” Wilkerson said.

Major changes outlined
- Final grades: MCPS will calculate final course grades for grades 6–12 by averaging percentage grades from each marking period rather than by the prior chart-based rule. Staff said this aligns MCPS with nearby Maryland districts and reduces unintended grade inflation.
- 50% rule clarified: The policy retains a minimum grade of 50% for assignments when a student makes a genuine attempt that demonstrates progress on standards; blank submissions or off-topic work do not qualify.
- Reassessments: Teachers must provide at least two reassessment opportunities in every secondary course.
- Timelines and late work: Graded work must be returned within 10 school days; no deadline extension may exceed 10 school days after the original due date; late work will not be accepted in the five school days before the end of each marking period.
- Summative assessments: MCPS will pilot districtwide summative assessments in marking periods 2 and 4 (counting 10% of the marking period grade) to capture learning across the semester; those assessments will be phased in across content areas.

Rationale and concerns: MCPS staff said the previous chart-based final-grade calculation could create perverse incentives (students skipping classes or not submitting work in later marking periods) and contribute to inconsistent teacher practices. Dr. Wilkerson referenced attendance analyses showing some students reduced attendance after a strong first-quarter grade under the old system. The district intends professional learning, principal coaching and a multi-stakeholder workgroup to reduce variance.

Equity and implementation questions: Council members pressed staff on subjectivity concerns (how educators determine a ‘‘genuine attempt’’), training for teachers, support for multilingual and limited-English families, and exceptions for students with trauma, health issues or displacement. Wilkerson said the district will translate materials, use parent community coordinators and rely on counselors/principals to handle extenuating circumstances; staff also committed to ongoing monitoring and to collecting implementation data each marking period.

College applications and transcripts: MCPS staff told the committee they will add a transcript notation explaining the district’s change to how final grades are calculated so colleges reviewing applications will have context. The district cautioned some GPA impacts are possible as the percent-based calculations replace the prior chart-based method.

Next steps: The district said it will continue summer professional development with teacher leaders and principals, finalize FAQs and publish a centralized website translated into MCPS languages. Staff asked the committee for flexibility in the first year of implementation and promised periodic updates and data to the council as the policy is rolled out.

Ending: Council members welcomed the direction but requested clear written guidance by content area, an exceptions protocol for acute student needs, and early-cycle monitoring for unintended disparities during the first year of implementation.