A yearlong exploration of Urban’s grading policy is set to end in January with a decision on what changes, if any, should be made.

Since Urban’s founding in 1966, the school has maintained an emphasis on the learning process rather than letter grades.

Currently, Urban students receive interim reports every six weeks and a longer course report at the end of a class. Neither of these assessments includes letter grades. Grade point averages are shown to freshman and sophomores at the end of each year and to juniors and seniors at the end of every trimester. Students don’t receive a transcript until October of senior year.

The administration “assigns grades at the end of (each) term (but) families and students don’t see those until the senior year,” says Suzanne Forrest, assistant head for academics, and a curriculum committee member. “Everybody recognizes it as a problem. I recognize it as a problem,” she admits.

Urban’s approach has come under examination due to a recent Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) review. In addition, an increasingly competitive college admissions process is putting pressure on students to be aware of what’s on their transcripts. Urban has struggled to strike a balance and stay true to its mission.

For administrators, changing Urban’s approach to grades has been a painstaking process.

Over the past year, “the curriculum committee has overseen, designed, and executed the process for the grading policy review — framing the key questions; designing the surveys of faculty, students, and parents; and examining the results of these surveys,” wrote Dean of Faculty Jonathan Howland in an e-mail.

A subcommittee is developing options and changes to existing practices, which will be vetted by faculty in October, Howland said.

Administrators on the curriculum committee believe that students want more information about the grades they are receiving. Results from a student survey last fall show that by a ratio of two to one, Urban students would like to see their grades more often.

However, many students appear not to know that changes may be ahead. Apart from one survey last fall, students have not had significant input into the process, and many appear not to know that there are two student representatives on the curriculum committee who have had a part in discussing the issue.

“Not many students outside of (the) student committee are even aware that (a) curriculum committee exists,” says Andrés Bustamante (’11), the senior class representative on the curriculum committee.

Urban’s student committee elected Bustamante in spring of ’09 (full disclosure: This reporter also is an elected representative). However, Urban’s student body was not officially informed of either decision.

More than one-fourth of the student body responded to a Legend poll about the grading policy. About one in five students was not aware that the grading policy was under review. Nearly half didn’t know that there are student representatives on the curriculum committee. But 78 percent said they would share their opinions if given the chance. Indeed, when the Legend approached students, many had strong opinions.

“If we got grades only at the end of trimesters, I would be more self aware and … motivated without being more competitive,” said Canada Choate (’13). Danielle Shorenstein (’12) said that “the information from the rubrics is not sufficient … and I am always trying to assign a grade to each checkmark.”

“I think that we should continue to get … evaluations from teachers because it is helpful to know how to improve,” said Emily Morris (’13). But she added that “it is silly to keep (grades) hidden from us when … we all end up guessing anyway.”

Some students said grades, no matter what they are, could give them more academic clarity.

“I would be able to have something solid to be proud (of), instead of checks and comments,” said Colin Huang (’13).

“Grades are an objective, universal, standard evaluation that can be motivating and/or reassuring,” said Miranda Phaal (’14). “It would just be nice to know, in addition to the comments, how (we are) doing on a clear scale that everyone knows and recognizes.”

On the other hand, Nina Buzby (’13), worries that “socially, things would become a little different” if students received grades. The “idea of ‘what’d you get?’ (would) come up,” she said. “(I don’t) find that fun at all.”

Other students worry about Urban’s approach to learning. “The unique evaluation policy that Urban has is one of the reasons that I chose the school,” said Vikram Chan-Herur (’13). “It’s nice to get the specific feedback about my performance during a class and be able to put (it) into action. I think that highly visible grades might detract from the weight that the evaluations carry.”

Reactions from teachers have been mixed. Deborah Samake, who teaches history, says that more explicit grades may lead her to unintentionally present assignments in a “this is how you get an A” format. “This takes away from the learning process,” she said.

Others say motivation is key. ” I was a very poor high school student. I didn’t really care,” said teacher Clarke Weatherspoon. “(But) when I got to college … I was interested in what I was learning, I felt like my education was about me, it wasn’t about my parents, or my friends.”

To comment further, e-mail Hannah Sears or Andrés Bustamante, or take the Legend‘s anonymous poll at urbanlegendnews.org.