KCPS grading policy amended: Zero Work Gets Zero Points

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Kansas City Public Schools administrators are speaking out for the first time since the school implemented the controversial No Zero Policy.

KCTV5 reported on the policy at the start of the school, which garnered overwhelmingly mixed reviews. Many people asked: “What exactly is this teaching kids?”

“The real premise around setting a minimum floor is really to think of it as the new zero,” said Dr. Derald Davis, Deputy Superintendent of KCPS.

“What we’re trying to do is not penalize or punish students because perhaps they don’t know what to do and that’s really important,” said Dr. Latanya Franklin, chief academic officer of KCPS.

Davis and Franklin said the district recently incorporated a new amendment into the policy—any missing schoolwork will get a zero. Prior versions allowed students to receive a 40 percent grade for not doing any work.

“We’re really trying to change that narrative that we’re giving students something for nothing,” said Dr. Franklin.

“Essentially, if a student made 40% all year long, it’s going to average out to 40%. It’s still an F, so students weren’t getting credit for something they hadn’t done,” said Dr. Davis.

PREVIOUS REPORTING: No more zeros: New grading policy in place at Kansas City Public Schools

Davis said conversations about a change in grading began in 2020.

“During the pandemic, we started looking at Fs across our district and see what was at the root of those grades,” said Dr. Davis.

So educators looked at a number of factors, everything from student attendance, behaviors, and state exams. It was in state exams that they found something interesting.

“To our surprise, many of the students who scored advanced, when we looked at their grade, they had an F,” Davis said. “And so we were concerned around ‘What does an F truly mean?’”

The F stands for “fail” in the current system. The first grading scale was established in the 1800s at Yale University. By the 1940s, the A through F grading system emerged as the dominant grade scheme and it’s what we have today. Davis and Franklin point out, that it’s far from perfect.

“There are so many ‘grade hacks’ that teachers have been using forever, [because] we’ve always known this 100% scale is inequitable, it’s not fair,” said Davis.

“We’re looking at all students that’s really at the heart of equity and sometimes we miss those students who need more support,” said Franklin.

Another common criticism of the “No Zero” policy was that it came across like a participation trophy.

“Well, I think we have to go back to ‘a 40% is a 40%,’ so at the end of the day if a student does no work, that’s still not a passing grade,” said Dr. Franklin.

“If students are meeting the standards, they have the requisite knowledge, they’re able to demonstrate what they know in the classroom setting. That really should be the truest indication of the education of that student,” said Dr. Davis.

Franklin also said the district is working on a formal document for parents to detail out the new grading policy.

“This is a living document,” said Franklin. “We’re still taking feedback, and it could still change based on the feedback we get.”

If you have input for the district, you can submit it here.

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