The San Francisco Unified School District is debating whether to forgo their standard grading policy and give all middle and high school students A's for the remainder of the year.
The change is being considered as teachers grapple with continuing to adequately teach students with classes that don't meet in person as schools have been shuttered since March 16th due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"This is an unprecedented situation," board member Rachel Norton told Mercury News. "To continue to have grades as an accountability system doesn't really seem to meet this moment very well."
Other Bay Area school districts have opted to incorporate pass/fail grades which is more in line with what the University of California and Cal State University systems prefer. Both UC and CU have said they would accept either pass/fail or a letter grade but not both.
"I think I am having trouble understanding where UC's stance is and their inability to see the current crisis," added Board Vice President Gabriela Lopez. "I just can't agree with their choices right now. … I don't want anyone to have a fail or incomplete. I think that would be completely unfair."
A final decision will be made at the next school board meeting next month.
"It's very stressful for educators and families. It's not gonna be perfect. There are a lot of issues as we go forward. Our goal is to make sure every student is reached by educators every day and that the students are okay," SFUSD Board President Mark Sanchez told KPIX.
Earlier this month, Governor Gavin Newsom announced all schools would not be opening for the remainder of the school year.
