CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Chicago Public School teachers are to turn in third quarter grades for students on Friday, but teachers are pushing back given the stress students are under.
Chicago Teachers Union Vice President Stacy Davis Gates said that, even though third quarter grades are to be based on work done in the classroom before schools were shutdown, it still isn’t fair to students who may have been caught up in the coronavirus upheaval and have not had a very good chance of playing catch-up.
"Everything is upside down. It would be foolish of us to think through evaluating student work without having a decent amount of consideration. This is going to be messy and complex for a while," she said.
The Chicago Teachers Union plans to ask Chicago Public School officials to delay third quarter grades and work out a grading arrangement that takes into account all that students have gone through during the coronavirus pandemic.
"We have to think how we stretch the third quarter out perhaps and figure out, maybe, how we offer remediation before we offer anything that’s less than a passing grade," Davis Gates said.
CPS sent out a letter to parents on Thursday letting them know that grades will be mailed out to them next week and that they can schedule phone conferences with teachers for later in the week.
Letter from CPS:
Dear Parents and Families,
We hope this email finds you and your loved ones healthy and safe. We are reaching out today to provide you with a quick update on remote learning and information about the end of the third quarter.
Remote learning kicked off on Monday.Your child’s teacher is connecting with students through engaging lessons and routines. Please encourage your child to participate in remote learning every day.• The district is monitoring student participation to ensure our students continue to learn and make academic progress. Your child’s school will reach out to you if they do not see or hear from your child each week. Please make sure your child’s school has up-to-date contact information for your family.• If your child needs a device to access remote learning, please contact your principal.• Remote learning will not take place on Friday, April 17, as it is a school improvement day on the CPS calendar.Third Quarter ends tomorrow.Tomorrow, April 16, is the final day of the third quarter. As a reminder, work submitted after March 17 can improve, not lower, the third quarter grades your child had when schools closed.• Please utilize Parent Portal to monitor your child’s progress. Click here for more information on Parent Portal and contact your child’s school with questions.• On April 22 and 23, your child’s teacher will hold remote office hours so you have an opportunity to discuss your child’s progress and third quarter grades. Please be on the lookout for more information from your child’s school on scheduling a time.• You will not be expected to pick up your child’s report card at their school. The district will mail report cards and Individualized Education Program report cards to your home the week of April 20.We know that learning at home may be incredibly challenging for students and parents, and we thank you for all you have done this week to help your child learn in a new way.
We do not yet have answers to all outstanding questions related to the state-mandated closure, such as fourth quarter grading, grade promotion, and end-of-year activities. Please know that we are committed to providing you with regular updates, and we expect to have additional information for you by the end of the week.
Sincerely,
Janice K. Jackson, EdD LaTanya D. McDadeChief Executive Officer Chief Education OfficerChicago Public Schools Chicago Public Schools