As the school year winds down, students struggle to continue with the average workload knowing that summer is just around the corner. But with the new grading system some students are forced to rely on every point even those deemed insignificant, such as small five point for-completion papers due at the end of the week.
These assignments stack up however and at the end of the month come up to 30 or 40 missing points. A term commonly used is Senioritis to refer to the lack of motivation felt by many seniors knowing that they will not be returning to high school at the beginning of school the next year. Yet this epidemic of missing assignments transcends grades and is a very common occurrence.
“I often get an influx of work especially right before finals,” French teacher Mrs. Jennings, said. So the question is should this work be able to be turned in whenever or is it to late for those trying to get every point in before finals week.
There are three common types of grading systems.
- Due at the due date no exceptions work isn’t accepted after.
- Work is accepted but points are taken off
- Work is accepted no points taken off.
When asked, many students often stated that their favorite system was the ones where work was accepted but points taken off as it gave them a purpose in turning it in on time but also they still had a chance to make up for the missing work in some small way.
“It gives me the opportunity to recover points but not enough for me to not do the work on time,” Mason Kirkpatrick (10), said. Another stated that it was class dependent, that each course such as history vs. Spanish should inherently have different late work policies due to the different course work required.
While teachers who often differ in their own late work policy, also differ in their opinions on it.
“I teach French, It is not in my curriculum to teach accountability too,” French teacher Mrs. Jennings said.
While others such as ELA teacher Mrs. Bryan viewed it differently.
“Each unit builds off each other so if you don’t do something from the first unit you will not understand unit two in only taking it on the due date and not after it teaches not only accountability, it also ensures that students keep up with what I’m teaching,” Bryan said.
So the question, is it important for the course work for every assignment to be taken on the due date or is some leniency required?
It’s confusing that it needs to change so much.
The 70-30 grade split, loved by some, disliked by most, including some teachers. Even principal Dr. Nelson had some words but had to “hold my fire.”
When the 70-30 grading policy was new, it came with a promise of standardization and accountability. What followed, however, was a groundswell of confusion—and silent frustration—echoing across the school.
The policy in question put 70% of a student’s grade on assessments like tests, with homework, classwork, and participation making up the remaining 30%. While some welcomed the focus on measurable outcomes, many—teachers especially—felt the change neglected the nuances of learning.
In an interview, Dr. Nelson acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the shift.
“It’s confusing that it needs to change so much,” Nelson said, choosing his words carefully. Known for his steady leadership, he stopped short of outright criticism but didn’t hide his reservations either. “I’m gonna have to hold my fire on this one,” he added, hinting at a deeper concern he wasn’t ready to fully voice.
Mrs. Bryan, an experienced teacher who was known for supporting student effort, provided her perspective in the same interview.
“Students that try really hard aren’t always rewarded because they don’t always perform as well on tests,” she said. Her frustration was experience-born. She had seen good, hardworking students watch their grades slip—not for a lack of knowledge, but because their abilities did not lend themselves to timed tests.
And she wasn’t alone. Most teachers nodded in silent agreement. In classrooms all over the building, kids who had previously succeeded by studying hard and improving gradually were finding they were falling back. While others who rarely turned in homework but tested well were getting along perfectly well.
Students have also had mixed views on it. One student, Noah Massey (12), said “it tanked my GPA, it quite literally ruined it.”
And this seems to be fair. Most people would be frustrated if some new grading system shows up out of the blue and ruins your chance at a high GPA although some others don’t seem to mind it.
“I’m pretty locked in when it comes to my academics and it honestly hasn’t affected me that much. I study for every test and exam the same,” Jack Ryan (12) said
Despite the growing discomfort, open resistance was rare. Teachers murmured in the hallways, students grumbled to their friends, but nothing changed. Even Dr. Nelson, while clearly disturbed, was cautious in his criticism. His comment—”hold my fire”—seemed to reflect the stance of the entire school: watchful, annoyed, but waiting.
Still, there was resentment. The 70-30 split was not just a numerical realignment. To many, it felt like an alignment of values—one that prioritized performance over perseverance, and quiet over forward motion.
