Headline Roundup • May 29th, 2025
San Francisco Schools Abandon 'Grading for Equity' Proposal After Backlash
Summary from the AllSides News Team
San Francisco Unified School District officials have withdrawn a controversial “grading for equity” plan after facing widespread criticism.
The Details: The proposed changes, based on a previously adopted practice in a nearby school district, would align grades with student learning rather than factors like attendance and participation. The plan also proposed adjustments to the 100-point grading scale.
Key Quotes in Support of Equitable Grading: Joe Feldman, an educational consultant San Francisco reportedly considered hiring for the transition, said, “If our grading practices don't change, the achievement and opportunity gaps will remain for our most vulnerable students.”
Community Members Opposed to the Change: The former dean of the University of San Francisco School of Law said, “Grading for Equity de-emphasizes the importance of timely performance, assignment completion, and consistent attendance.”
How the Media Covered It: CBS News (Lean Left bias) said the plan “led to a firestorm of criticism from parents and local officials.” Fox News (Right) quoted a sarcastic post from a California representative who wrote, “San Francisco has come up with a brilliant solution for its failing schools. Students simply won't be failed.” Newsweek (Center) highlighted the split reactions, reporting that critics believe the policy will “lower expectations,” while proponents view it as more equitably reflecting student mastery “without penalizing behaviors unrelated to learning.”
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The San Francisco Unified School District will not be moving forward with a controversial equity grading strategy that was proposed this week after significant backlash.
The strategy, known as "Grading for Equity," was presented during a SFUSD Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, according to Superintendent Maria Su, with the goal of offering "professional development opportunity in standards-based grading."
Under the proposed standards, how a student scores on the final exam, which could be taken multiple times, would be what counts toward their grade for the semester, according to the Voice of San...
Officials with the San Francisco Unified School District said they have backed down on a proposal to alter grading procedures in the city's high schools, following widespread backlash.
On Tuesday, the city's Board of Education heard a proposal that included a "grading for equity" approach.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, 70 teachers in 14 of the city's high schools were expected to participate in a voluntary program to align grades more closely to student learning rather than attendance, participation or other factors. The grading plan also proposed multiple chances to retake tests...
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Ed. Note: After significant backlash, San Francisco's public school system announced it was cancelling the "Grading for Equity" initiative. More from Newsweek's Jesus Mesa here.
San Francisco's public high schools will implement a sweeping change to their grading system this fall, replacing traditional methods with a policy that allows students to pass with scores as low as 41 percent.
The initiative, part of a broader "Grading for Equity" push, is stirring concern among educators, students and parents over academic standards and college readiness.
