CARLISLE, Pa. — Students were welcomed back to school in the Carlisle Area School District on Tuesday, and many are being introduced to the new grading system being rolled out this school year.
In a letter to parents, Carlisle school superintendent Michael Gogoj announced the district will be implementing a more traditional 10-point letter scale for middle and high school students.
Here is how the new grading scale breaks down compared to the old scale.
- A= 90-100 (92-100 old scale)
- B= 80-89 (83-91 old scale)
- C= 70-79 (74-82 old scale)
- D= 60-69 (65-73 old scale)
- F= 0-59 (0-64 old scale)
Damon Kline, whose daughter is entering 10th grade at Carlisle High School, believes the change could benefit students and parents trying to track their academic progress.
“Thinking of it as an easy way to think of 90-percent, 80-percent, 70-percent; you get a better sense of where they need to put their effort," said Kline.
Karla Morkin, a retired teacher from nearby Cumberland-Perry Area Vocational School, said she is worried the new grading scale won’t give students enough of a challenge in school.
“The challenge of even a 95 for an A seems realistic," said Morkin, "Not the 90.”
According to Superintendent Gogoj said the change would align Carlisle with other high schools and colleges across the country, better support students transferring into and out of the district, while maintaining the school's rigorous academic standard for students to achieve.
“Easier for [the students] to understand, and easier for the parents as well," said Kline.