By Naomi Lawrence ’17

The 50-percent rule may have raised students’ grades, but does it prepare them for real life or just get them through their high school career? Ten years after the implementation of the rule, the question remains hotly debated across MCPS, particularly among teachers.

Established in 2006, the 50-percent rule was created as a response to former President George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act, a federal attempt to help every child graduate high school. The policy, according to MCPS grading procedures, requires that “a teacher assigns a grade no lower than 50 percent to the task/assessment. If a student does no work on the task/assessment, the teacher will assign a zero. If a teacher determines that the student did not attempt to meet the basic requirements of the task/assessment, the teacher may assign a zero.”

Social studies teacher Katie Jaffe was a relatively new teacher in MCPS at the time. Although she did not find it difficult to transition to the new policy, she was concerned that teachers were lessening standards for students and sending them a message that the first time completing a task may not matter.

“I allow for one retake per marking period,” said Jaffe. “I also create a minimum standard for receiving the 50 percent. Students need to make an honest attempt at the assignment and demonstrate [that] effort went into it.”

Although teachers follow the basic guidelines of the 50-percent rule, many teachers feel that the rule ultimately hinders students’ overall performance. Jaffe believes that the implementation of the rule has “weakened students’ initial effort on tasks.”

Social studies teacher Scott Allen agrees. Lack of effort can cause a “ripple effect,” he explained. “If they do not put actual effort into their class work or homework then they will not do well on formative and summative assessments. A 50 percent on everything is not passing.”

Allen does understand the positive aspect of the rule, as it can help students from hitting rock-bottom. He feels that the rule helps students as long as they make an honest attempt at learning. “It keeps a student from completely ‘shutting down,’” he said.

English teacher Brianna Russell said that in her interactions with parents and other teachers, they often are skeptical if the 50-percent rule prepares students for the real world. Although she doesn’t necessarily agree with the rule, she understands why some struggling students like it. “I know that the sentiment surrounding it from a lot of people from the older generation is you don’t get half your pay when you come to work,” Russell explained. So, parents and teachers are wondering, “why [is MCPS] setting up an expectation like this in an academic setting?”