Parents and students at Falcon High School and the surrounding community are ready for a change. When standards based grading (SBG) was introduced at the high school three years ago, many were skeptical but were willing to see it implemented in hopes that it would work for our students. While it was well-intentioned, it has proven to be a detrimental transition for students, parents, and teachers alike. In theory, it should give students an opportunity to continually improve their grades, but that has not proven to be the case. Students' grades should reflect their hard work, but their efforts are being diminished by a flawed grading system. SBG does not fit well in our community where there is a high student-to-teacher ratio, and where many families are transitioning in and out of the area on a regular basis.

As students prepare to graduate, they are watching their GPAs suffer, and they wonder how this will translate onto their college applications. Parents are trying to understand and support the teachers, but are receiving conflicting explanations and little support. We would like Falcon HS to return to a traditional grading system that will be equal to other high schools and, in turn, equally viewed by other colleges and universities.

The concerns with SBG go well beyond students and parents currently at Falcon High School. Parents from the elementary, middle, and charter schools are also concerned about what type of grading system will be in place when their children begin high school. They are watching closely to see what changes FHS will make to decide if they will enroll their children there in the future or choose another path. Families want to stay to support their local schools, but we cannot stand behind SBG. So many are ready to leave the district (or have left already) if changes are not made.