The Germantown Municipal School District Board of Education will look at significant revisions to its grading policy Tuesday on the second of two required readings.

Verizon installing 5G technology in Germantown

Brian Curry, elected to the school board in November, asked the GMSD administration about the change after researching the district’s grading scale compared to other similar districts locally and regionally.

“I didn’t want our students to be penalized for where they live, and from a competitive standpoint, I felt this would be very beneficial to our students,” Curry said by phone Monday. 

The change is proposed for grades 3-12, although it was initially recommended by the administration for grades 6-12. In two years, the district plans an initiative to move to a standards-based grading in K-5, a system already in place for grades K-2.

In a recent work session, the board said it wanted to give consistency to families for grades 3-12 next year. The move to standards-based grading will be a decision for the board in two years, Chairperson Amy Eoff noted.

If approved, the policy would take effect in the 2021-22 school year.

The grading policy has remained the same since the district’s inception. Missy Abel, executive director of Teaching, Learning, and Assessment, said the district explored updating the policy in 2017. However, due to a number of initiatives by GMSD, leaders decided to not also change the grading scale.

Abel noted some may worry the change could negatively impact GMSD’s curriculum.

“We are certainly not a district who would ever lower our standards,” Abel said in the recent work session, noting it gives teachers an opportunity to review grading practices.

Bartlett changed its policy in 2017 to the one GMSD is reviewing. Williamson County Schools, south of Nashville, has a similar grading scale.

If adopted Tuesday, the change may help GMSD students compete for scholarships. Curry noted that a student earning a 92 might have about a 3 for a grade point average in Germantown. In other districts, it would be a 4. 

“I don’t see how that benefits our students from a competitive standpoint,” he said. “I think this change will be beneficial to our students as they apply for college and scholarships. I think it will be beneficial to them overall.”

The proposal’s second reading is scheduled for Tuesday. The first reading in May was unanimous.