High schoolers petition for mark freeze after COVID-19 learning disruptions

After asemester that saw massive disruptions during another wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, some students in the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) are calling for a freeze oftheir marksbefore end-of-semester exams and assignments.

ColonelBy Secondary School students Kake Jin and Austin Wang, both in Grade 12, started the petition after hearing about a similar policy announced for the Toronto District School Board (TDSB).

"These large assessments that are coming up are huge stressors for students and I don't necessarily think that during these uncertain times that it really reflects their learning," Jin said.

Jin said she has peers who are vulnerable or have family members who are vulnerable to infection, making them worry returning to school. She said the disruption of remote learning this month has added even more stress.

The TDSBannounced last Thursday that secondarystudents' marks would not be "negatively affected" by the final evaluations of the semester, and teachers will only take marks assigned after Dec. 17 into consideration if they improve their standing in the course.

Similar policies have been adopted in other school boards.

The petition already had more than 2,000 student and parent signatures this Sunday before in-person classes resumed this week.

Concern about university competition

Wang said many students are concerned this policy from other boards couldmake it harder for Ottawa students to get coveted spots in post-secondary education, which could putmore pressure on students.

"This actually compounds upon the issue of mental health for students because they realize students from other boards have an advantage over them," he said.

Wang said he's also concerned about students going to class while sick because they're worried about their grades.

The petition said freezing marks would provide a blanket accommodation for students who may have difficulty accessing technology at home or who have not had the individual educational support they needed during those transitions.

Reevaluating achievement

Sachin Maharaj, an assistant professor at the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Education, said the students have come up with a strong proposal, especially considering growing evidence remote learning has disproportionate negative effects on people from racialized groups and lower-income households.

He said this return to school is likely to involve further disruption with continued teacher and student absenteeism.

"I think the pandemic has forced us to reconsider that balance between student achievement and well-being," Maharaj said.

Adapting to university

Tracy Vaillancourt, a professor at the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Education, said she's open to the idea but has some reservations, including making sure there's a way students can improve theirDecember marks.

"I don't think we build resilience or grit or competence by knocking people down. If they need a little extra, I'm happy to give them a little extra," she said.

How a grade freeze might help struggling students and how it might hinder them in the future

3 years ago

Duration 1:56

University of Ottawa professor Tracy Vaillancourt says a grade freeze could help students who are feeling overwhelmed and exhausted after two years of the pandemic, but could also set students up for failure as they enter university.

However, she adds, there's a risk that too much of an accommodationcould set students up for a difficult transition particularly in university.

"There's a continuity between high school and university, and if we break that continuity... that may cause harm because those students won't be prepared going into university," she said.

"That's going to be discouraging. We may have more students leaving university than we would've expected otherwise."

Vaillancourt says universities are taking into account the disruptions of the past two years when it comes to future students.

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board said it planned the 2021-22 academic year with the challenges of the pandemic in mind.

In a statement, the board thanked students for the initiative and advocating on behalf of fellow students.

The board saidit has adapted instruction and assessment structures to be flexible in the face of possible disruptions like the recent nine-day shift to remote learning.