Dive Brief:
- Because teachers can no longer easily view student test grades in Washington, DC, concerns have been expressed from the Washington Teachers Union that the system potentially undermines teacher control over grades and could also lead to possible grade inflation.
- The shift in structure is due to the district's incorporation of software that automatically grades students based on teacher input, yet questions surround the software's calculations of number versus letter grades.
- Officials from the school district have tried to alleviate concerns by saying that a system glitch is at fault for teachers not being able to easily see final grades, and that a fix is already in the works.
Dive Insight:
The concerns reportedly stemmed from the system assigning letter grades to inputted numerical values, and then automatically rounding the numerical values to the highest possible for that letter grade. On a more general level, the issue also reflects the relative unease many have experienced in digital transitions nationwide.
Studies have shown that more computer glitches are causing trouble for a number of school districts. One recent study from FairTest showed that 27 states had run into problems using digital exams in the past two years. It's also been shown that teachers who feel included in ed tech purchasing decisions are more empowered and likely to succeed. The district's assurance to educators that it is addressing the grading issue is a step in the right direction.