2 days ago
Elk Grove 8th graders' final-quarter grades will only count toward promotion participation
ELK GROVE — Grades will not count as much for 8th-grade students in the Elk Grove Unified School District after it passed a policy that said only grades from the fourth quarter of the school year will count when deciding whether to participate in the promotion ceremony.
This means a student could technically fail most of the year, but if they get good grades in the final quarter of 8th grade, they will be able to walk across the stage with their classmates.
"What's the point of me showing up?" said Derrick Brown, an 8th-grade science teacher at Samuel Jackman Middle School.
Brown has been dedicated to preparing his students for high school for decades and told CBS13 that kids used to need to complete 50 out of 60 credits in order to participate in the promotion ceremony.
"Now you're discrediting me as a teacher. How can I hold kids accountable if they are sitting there saying, 'Well, it doesn't count anyway?' " said Brown.
It is a district-wide middle school criteria change that states to participate in the promotion ceremony, you can have no more than one "F" in the 4th quarter of 8th grade, you must pay off any fees like library books and you cannot get suspended in the fourth quarter of the school year.
"I have gotten straight-A's basically all my life, and so I want to keep it that way," said incoming 8th grader at Joseph Kerr Middle School, Tessa McMahan.
She is curious how the policy could impact classrooms and students' willingness to participate and learn.
"I know it was really hard keeping my grades up and staying focused when the other students were always interrupting my teacher and stuff," said McMahan.
Elk Grove Unified told CBS13 that several of its middle schools already had this policy, so the change was about equity and consistency.
"We really care about his grades, and we think it's important to get good grades," said parent Euna Helms.
Helms said the grades her incoming 8th grader son gets reflect his hard work and create habits she hopes will carry him through life.
"Folks who say middle school grades don't matter anyway. It doesn't go on your permanent record," said Brown. "That's not the point. The point is accountability."
The policy will be in place for all nine Elk Grove Unified middle schools for the 2025-2026 school year.
