Salem High students oppose new grading scale in school board meeting

The Salem School Board held a regular meeting on June 17, 2025, where significant discussions centered around the proposed changes to the grading system at Salem High School. The meeting featured multiple student speakers who expressed their concerns regarding the shift from a traditional 100-point grading scale to a 4-point scale and an 8-point AB grading system.

The meeting began with students voicing their apprehensions about the new grading scales. One student, who identified as a high achiever, argued that the 100-point scale accurately reflects effort and achievement, while the proposed systems would diminish their accomplishments and potentially hinder college opportunities. Another student shared a personal experience illustrating how the 4-point scale could misrepresent grades, noting that a score of 20 out of 22 on a final exam was unfairly converted to an 87.5% instead of a higher percentage that would reflect their actual performance.

Several students highlighted the limitations of the 4-point scale, emphasizing that it oversimplifies grading and fails to account for the nuances of student performance. They raised concerns about the lack of intermediate grades, which could lead to inaccuracies in reflecting a student's true abilities. One student with dyslexia pointed out that the grading system does not adequately accommodate students with disabilities, questioning how it could support equitable education.

The discussion also touched on the challenges posed by the grading system's integration with the Infinite Campus software, which reportedly complicates grade tracking and transparency for both students and parents. Students expressed fears that the new grading systems would negatively impact their college applications, as the discrepancies in grades could misrepresent their academic efforts.

In conclusion, the meeting underscored a strong student consensus against the proposed grading changes. Many students advocated for retaining the 100-point scale or exploring a hybrid approach that could better serve different academic levels. The board is expected to consider these concerns as they deliberate on the future of the grading system in Salem High School.