I/H Grading System Allows Second Chance

GRACE CHOW
Staff Writer
There is no need to fail a class any longer—at least that’s how students at West Potomac High School in Alexandria, Virginia feel.
Instead of receiving a letter “F” for failing, they would receive the letter “I” for incomplete or “H” for held. This means that the student who receives an “I” or an “H” will have time to make up the course they did not pass. However, it is different from summer school in that it is not separate from the school year. If a student were to receive an “I/H,” they would have to make up their credits during the school year.
“It discriminates between students who couldn’t finish their work [and students who had] illnesses or family emergencies,” said Biology and Environmental Science teacher Jennie Malonek.
The students who chose not to complete the work required to pass their course and receive an ‘I/H’ grade would only have to make up their credits later on. Compared to the students who spent effort to study their material would be categorized along with the students who knowingly did not finish their assignments.
“If [AHS] adopted this program, I would like to see certain criteria for students to qualify for an ‘I/H’, such as a 50 percent or lower failing grade,” said World History and Classical Age teacher Chris Cosbey.
Compared to the students who were not able to pass the course because they did not fully comprehend the material, students would only be obtaining that percentage if they are not completing their homework on time or if they are not getting passing grades on exams.