This school year, a new grading policy was introduced and it’s already caused many frustrations for the majority of students. While it may have been created with good intentions, the policy is making it harder for students to succeed and improve their grades.

Under last year’s policy, students had until the end of the term to turn in missing assignments, even if those assignments were from before progress reports. This flexibility gave students time to catch up if they fell behind. Now, once progress reports are released, any assignments from earlier in the term can no longer be submitted. This change removes the opportunity for students to recover from a rough start or deal with unexpected challenges.

Another part of the policy now limits retakes to only those who scored below a 76%. That may seem like a way to focus help on students who are struggling most, but it actually discourages students who are trying to improve. What if I got a 79 on something, but I know I can do better? Shouldn’t I have the chance to push for that 86% or higher?

Policies like these send the message that improvement is only for those who are failing. But many of us want to do better, not because we’re failing, but because we care. We should be encouraged to learn from our mistakes, not blocked from trying again just because our first attempt was “good enough.”

This new grading system prioritizes deadlines and restrictions over growth and understanding. As students, we need a policy that gives us room to grow, improve, and succeed, not one that cuts off opportunities when we need them most.