Investigation: Stuart Academy teachers violated JCPS policy in grade-changing scandal

An internal investigation into grade changing at Stuart Academy last semester revealed that teachers violated Jefferson County Public Schools' policy, and counselors and school administrators did not know how to respond.

JCPS Superintendent Marty Pollio launched the investigation last month after the Courier Journal reported Stuart counselors had switched about 300 failing grades to passing without informing teachers, and the school's principal announced the grades would be switched back.

The investigation report, obtained through an open records request, found there were actually about 365 grades changed in the second term and an unknown amount in the first.

Stuart, a middle school in Louisville's South End, serves about 1,100 students, 80% of whom are considered economically disadvantaged. The report doesn't state how many students were impacted, but says they were seventh and eighth graders.

The investigation notes that teachers and the school's principal were warned of one counselor's intention to change term two grades in November − well before the end of the term.

The district's Assessing Learning and Grading Framework policy outlines the requirement that if a student is failing, families have to be "notified in a timely manner prior to the distribution of the progress report or report card."

On Nov. 6, one of Stuart's counselors sent an email to teachers who had failing students, noting the requirement and stating, "If this cannot be provided, the student’s grade will be changed to a passing grade (60% D)." Included on the email was "the entire Stuart administrative staff (except for one assistant principal)," according to the investigative report.

In response, the counselor wasn't reprimanded, questioned or given an alternative directive so she changed the grades as she said she would, the report continues.

The district's grading framework doesn't explain what should be done if a teacher fails to follow the policy of notifying families about failing grades, "but there are circumstances when (counselors) can change a grade after consulting with the teacher and receiving assurances that the teacher has contacted a parent or guardian," said Mark Hebert, a JCPS spokesman.

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Despite the policy failing to outline what those circumstances are, the counselor who changed the grades − who has been in the position for less than a year − told investigators that during her training, "counselors were trained to consult with their peer counselors, as necessary, regarding questions, issues, and concerns." Upon doing so, she said she "was advised that it is the counselor’s responsibility to change failing grades to a 60% in response to noncompliance with the (grading framework)."

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Near the end of January − after the assistant principal who had not been included in the November email about the counselor's plan found out grades were changed − Stuart Principal Darren Dawson went to two assistant superintendents, asking whether counselors can change grades to passing because teachers didn't contact families.

None of the administrators "were certain regarding how to best comply (with the grading policy framework)," and while neither of the two assistant superintendents told the principal to have the grades switched back, he told the counselor in early February to revert them back to failing.

"With the investigation now complete, the assistant superintendent and principal have already begun addressing the issue with all faculty and reinforcing end-of-term protocols dealing with grading," Hebert said, adding that Stuart teachers are working with families "on an acceleration plan for students who did not pass."

Because the report doesn't state how many students failed last term, it is unclear how large of an impact this could have on the middle school.

Contact Krista Johnson at kjohnson3@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: JCPS investigation: Teachers violated policy in grade-changing scandal