A School Without Grades?

September 19th, 2007 · 22 Comments
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What would you say if you were placed in a school where there were no grades and you moved through different “levels”based on what you have learned. It would be a little bit like swimming lessons, when you can tread water for 60 seconds and swim 2 lengths of the pool on your back you can move to the next level. The only difference would be that the levels would be in reading and math.There is such a place!

“There are no grade levels in the rural Chugach School District, which is based in Anchorage and serves tiny villages scattered throughout 22,000 square miles of remote areas of south central Alaska. Instead, each of its few hundred students tote around report cards as thick as history texts. Each packet details the individual student’s progress through the district’s more than 1,000 learning standards as they move from kindergarten to high school graduation.

Ask any secondary school student, and he or she can tell you, for example, “I’m at level five in math, level seven in reading, level six in career development.” Students mark up the packets to track how far they’ve come, turning each page into a hodgepodge of multicolored highlights and scribbles. Take a snapshot of all the students’ report cards at any point,and each one will look different.

At the core of the Chugach model is this rule: To move to the next level, you must master the one that precedes it. There is no sitting in the back row and skating by. Every child must learn every subject at every level, passing with proficiency equivalent to at least 80 percent — essentially, a B minus. And when they’re done, they’re done, whether that means they finish when they’re sixteen or twenty-one.”

The full article can be found here.

Answer the following based on what you have just read.

1) What do you think would be good about this system?

2) What would be bad about this system?

3) What do you think your parents would say about this system? Why would they think that?

4) What do YOU think about this idea of a school with no grades?

5) What questions does it make you think about?

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22 responses so far ↓

1 Breigh-Anne // Sep 19, 2007 at 11:06 am

1. I think that this would be a good system because you would be able to learn everything quicker and maybe even finish school earlier than you normally would.
2. It would be a bad system because some people might not finish school until they are 50!
3.My parents would probably say that this this system is both good and bad because some kids might finish before others and some kids might stay in the same level for 5 years!
4. I think that this system would be a good system to live by, I think that i could probably do good in this system but it’s also bad because some people might struggle with this, so I would say that it has its ups and downs.
5. Some of the questions I thought of when I read that article were, why isn’t this system everywhere instead of just one place?, who made up the system and why did they think of that?
2 Samantha // Sep 19, 2007 at 11:06 am

1)I think that it would be a awesome school system. I think its would help me learn easier.

2)The only bad thing would be that if i didnt get the work I could fail and I wouldnt graduate till I was 21. I wouldn’t like that very much.

3)I think my auntie would say that it isnt a very good system because there is no grades. I think she would say that because it is important to have grades.

4)I think the idea of no grades would be a good idea because I could be in the same class as all my friends. That would be awesome!

5)The question I would think about is probably if the give you good education. I don’t no if they would have very accurate ratings for grades.
3 Erin // Sep 19, 2007 at 11:06 am

1) I think that having to master the skill will help you learn better becausethen they would have more knowlege.
2)I think that having to master the skill before you can move on would take a long time to finish if you aren’t willing to try.
3) I don’t think my parents would like it because grades are very important.
4)I think it would take to much work to finish because if you didn’t get it done completely you would have to do it for another year.
5) It makes me think that if I had to do it it would take me a very long time to finish!
4 Chantel // Sep 19, 2007 at 11:09 am

1-You are always moving on and never in the same spot
2-You may not graduate till you are like 20 cause if you’re not a good reader you may not graduate.
3-I think my parents would like the system because you are working at your level not the class level.
4-I would like it because I would be working at stuff I understand and not stuff I don’t get.
5-That what age would I graduate at or will ii graduate with my friends
5 devon // Sep 19, 2007 at 11:10 am

1-I think it would be good because teachers would not have to grade everything. 2-I think it would be bad because parents would not know how to read your report card. 3-I think they would say this system is confusing because they would not know what grade your in. 4-I think the system would be cool. 5-I think of why would there be a school with no grades because it would be confusing.
6 vicky // Sep 19, 2007 at 11:10 am

1-I think the system would be good for the kids and maybe the teachers so they wouldn’t have to grade everything.

2-It wouldn’t be good because no parents would be able to see the progress that the students will be doing and they may not learn just as much.

3-They may not like it because they like to see what I have been learning in school, they might think that it’s not a good strategy.

4-What do I think I think it would be ok but I know that I wont be learning any thing so it may not be the best idea but I may not have a fit or anything about it.

5- The first question that I was that it was a cool idea but it wasn’t something that I would be into I like the way things are and I like the arrangements that I am in
7 Amy // Sep 19, 2007 at 11:11 am

1. I think that it would be good that the children or adults would be able to master the subjects that they do and they would get lots of practice instead of what we do when we just tally up all of the marks to see if we pass. This way they could work on those things each time/ year.
2. People could be having trouble in one thing and not be able to move on and they could almost never get out of school to get a good job and get money for support of their family.
3. I think my parents would let me decide where I went but if they decided I think they would chose somewhere else because I would be able to move on in my work faster.
4. it is definitely different and maybe even easier for other people but I think that it would be harder because it would seem like you are never moving on and then you might not even learn something that you need to learn at some point.
5. It makes me think about kids that have learning disabilities and if they go there, would they get any extra help? Would they move on?
8 Shayna // Sep 19, 2007 at 11:11 am

1) I think the good thing about school is that you would be able to pass.

2) The thing that would be bad is you might not pass with your friends.

3) I think my parents might like it but might not like the system but maybe cause you would get tote.

4) I like it but it would be confusing with the levels instead of grades.

5) It makes me think about how you would pass and pass all the levels.
9 teanika // Sep 19, 2007 at 11:12 am

1) I think it would be a good system because that you would move up levels as you learn.

2) I think it would be a bad system because if you don’t get it and cheat you won’t really learn it and then you be doing harder work.

3) My parents wouldn’t like this system because they like to see how I do when I am done my work and with out grades they cant.

4)I don’t think that I would like not having grades because I would want to see how I do in class and not just pass like that.

5) Why wouldn’t they have grades? I would forget what level I am in get confused.
10 Austin // Sep 19, 2007 at 11:13 am

(1.You can finish school.
(2.All your friend’s can end up passing you.
(3.I think that they would be happy why? Because there children would finish fast.
(4. I think it would be fast and hard to finish levels.
(5.who came up with ideas.
11 jayden // Sep 19, 2007 at 11:14 am

1.) I think what would be good about this system is this way there are no kids bragging that there in a higher grade. Also this way kids could or could learn quicker. Also finish school faster.

2.) This system would be bad because some kids might have a learning disability and could finish school when there 33 maybe.

3.) I think my parents would say ” why that is weird.” and one might say ” well that’s cool you could be done in a matter of 7 years even.” They would say this because they would think he will be done faster but if I don’t pay attention then he won’t be done for a while.

4.) I think it’s pretty cool but I wouldn’t be able to live like that.

5.) It makes me think what happens if someone is 33 and they can’t graduate. What happens then?
12 Shylan // Sep 19, 2007 at 11:14 am

1) I think the only good thing about this system would be that you could move up as you learn.

2) The thing that would be bad is that kids might get confused because they wouldn’t get it and it would be weird if they messed up, and might have trouble with the program.

3) My parents wouldn’t like it because it would be confusing and, they would think that because it’s too confusing and yeah…

4) I think this is kind of weird and stuff because like, who would want to get that grade is so much better!

5) The things it makes me think about is how it would feel if I had too get levels, but it would be awesome that you get out earlier!
13 Caitlyn // Sep 19, 2007 at 11:14 am

1.) I think it is good because no one is aloud to just slip by unless they totally pass the level. I think that’s good because you will totally understand what you learned.

2.) I think it’s bad because some kids might finish school by 14! Some might even finish by 21.

3.) I think they would say it’s good because I wouldn’t be able to pass a level without totally understanding it.

4.) I think its pretty cool, but I would never want to be in that kind of system because I am so use to grades.

5.) I have no clue.
14 rain // Sep 19, 2007 at 11:15 am

.1) I think it that they should have grades there and levels .2) it would be bad because the system should have report cards so the parents can see how there child is doing in class. 3) I think my parents would be like why they would do that our children they should have talked to us first. They would ask why they would do that
15 justice // Sep 19, 2007 at 11:16 am

1. i personally say that most of the schools should have this system because it will benefit our learning.
2. i also think that it wouldn’t be a great idea because most of the kids wouldn’t get their work done on time so that is what i think. I wouldn’t want this system at our school that’s for sure.
3. i don’t exactly know what they would say because i never heard of this system before but they might like it i don’t know i can’t really answer that question so.
4.i don’t really like this idea because i like the whole grades thing so yeah.
5. what grade they really are in. i dont know i dont really think of any questions so yeah.
16 Deprise // Sep 19, 2007 at 11:19 am

1)I think it would good because if it’s to easy for one person or to hard for another the person wont be to smart or won’t fall behind.So it would be good because they would be on their own level.

2)This system would be bad because what if it takes to long for you to pass one level and your in it for a very long time.
3)I think my mom would think about this system is that she would think it’s good because i would be on my own level and not on a harder or a to easy level for me i would be on my own.
4)It would be okay because it won”t be easy or to hard for me.
5)Question i would think about is why would you make a school if out any grade’s? And How long will it take to pass a level?
17 bryson // Sep 19, 2007 at 11:19 am

1)This system would be good because it would be nice to finish school when im 14,15 or 16 and get a good job right after.
2)What would be bad about this system would be getting held back till i master somthing or get out of school when im 35.
3)They would think its pointless or a waist of time for me.
4)I dont like the idea of it cause its kinda gay.
5)Makes me wonder about how long it would take to get to grade 12 or collage .
18 Deprise // Sep 19, 2007 at 11:20 am

1) I think it would good because if it’s to easy for one person or to hard for another the person wont be to smart or won’t fall behind. So it would be good because they would be on their own level.

2) This system would be bad because what if it takes to long for you to pass one level and you’re in it for a very long time.
3)I think my mom would think about this system is that she would think it’s good because I would be on my own level and not on a harder or a to easy level for me i would be on my own.
4) It would be okay because it won’t be easy or to hard for me.
5) Question I would think about is why would you make a school if out any grade’s? And how long will it take to pass a level?
19 Derek // Sep 19, 2007 at 11:22 am

1.The good thing about this would be that you could see everything you have done.
2.The bad thing about this system would be you could be in school for 20 years or more.
3.I think my parents would say it is not a very good system.They would say that because they like the concept of the grade system.
4.I would not like it because I like the grade concept and I might not be able to pass some subjects.
5.The questions I would think about are,Will I pass ? and When will I pass?
20 shelby // Sep 19, 2007 at 11:23 am

1- i think that they sould have grades because the would get all mixed up with the kids .
2- every school sould have grades.
3-but that is good that you are based on you learing
but it just dose not make sense.

what would happpen if you lost a students folder for there learing texts and stuff?
21 natasha // Sep 19, 2007 at 11:24 am

1.) I think that it would be awesome to go throught that but at first it might be a little hard to get used if you are alrady used to going to an actual school
2.)i think that it would be bad cause you might not finish school until you are 21
3.)i think that they might like it for some of the reasons they might like not have to wait a year to find out if you passed that class
4.)with no grades it might be cool because you might be able to pass that class right a way and other classes you might not
22 Dean Shareski // Sep 21, 2007 at 1:04 am

Wow, you have some pretty insightful students! I found the third question most interesting. Most students mentioned grades are how parents know how they’re doing.

I’ll challenge that. Think about playing sports or the piano or even video games. Are there grades? How do you know you’re learning or improving? There are many other ways to measure growth. Parents can see you’re improving at volleyball, piano or even a video game by watching or even passing a level.

Grades don’t tell much of the story of learning. Ask Mr. Mcintosh if he’s a better teacher today than he was 5 years ago? How does he know?