Middletown to run second districtwide Scholar Perception Survey; district expands grading-for-equity practices

The district will run its second 7 C Scholar Perception Survey for all students K–12 between Feb. 3 and Feb. 21, administration told the Board of Education at its Jan. 16 meeting. Superintendent Amy Creedon and instructional staff said the survey collects student feedback on personal support, curricular support and academic press and that district leaders use the results to guide program decisions.

Administration reported that during the first-year rollout nearly all teachers — 98% — received scholar feedback, which district staff said exceeded expectations and enabled campus teams to align campus goals to district priorities. The district said the survey is administered during the school day and takes about 10 minutes per student; the administration will share campus-level findings after results are compiled.

District leaders also presented updates on “grading for equity” practices the district is implementing. Presenters said the goals are to make grading consistent across classrooms, reduce bias, and use grades as a measure of learning rather than punishment. Changes described in the meeting included aligned weighted categories for learning tasks and assessments, monthly team data-review processes, use of rubrics, and classroom retake or reduction opportunities tied to mastery learning.

Presenters said middle-school teams adopted a floor grade of 50% for assignments to prevent a single early zero from permanently sinking a semester grade and to keep students motivated. In discussion a district administrator also referenced a “good-faith” minimum of 55% during implementation remarks; the administration did not read a single consolidated policy text into the public record at the meeting to reconcile those two figures. Report cards and interim reports are available to families through the parent portal; families were told to expect report cards on or about Feb. 10.

District staff emphasized that the scholar feedback program has already informed programming — for example, an in-school field-trip program, Emotion into Art, will return in March and the district plans an evening presentation for families. Administration said the scholar-voice data are used to align school-level plans, literacy work, grading practices and student supports such as counseling and at-promise programming.

Key dates announced: second marking period ends Jan. 31; report cards expected around Feb. 10; scholar perception survey administration Feb. 3–21; family-teacher conference windows in March (elementary March 10–13; middle school and high school dates noted by administration).