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Student tells WJCC board grading weights demotivate learners; offers compromise
Summary
A student speaker told the board that heavy test weighting (reported at 45% in science classes) can demoralize students and proposed narrowing the gap between tests and projects to help motivation and equity.
A student who identified himself as Alex Lord told the school board that grading formulas in some science classes place outsized emphasis on tests and urged a smaller gap between test scores and other coursework.
"All science classes have 45% tests and the next highest grade is 25% for projects," Alex Lord said, describing a situation in which one poor test can undo weeks of work. He told the board that, after failing a late test, he had to retake and pass to recover, but said many students do not have that chance or the tutoring resources he accessed.
Lord suggested narrowing the gap — "If you can maybe even close the grading gap to a 40 to a 30%... that's still half of what we have and that's 10%." His remarks framed the issue as both academic and emotional: he said the heavy weighting increases student anxiety and can discourage continued effort.
Board members thanked him for speaking and the chair invited written comments to be submitted to the clerk. No policy changes were proposed or voted on at the meeting; Lord’s testimony was entered into the public record.
