You are reading

City Announces New Grading Policy for Students Learning Remotely

Long Island City High School (Google Maps)

April 28, 2020 By Allie Griffin

Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled the new grading policy for the city’s public schools today as the pandemic has caused the education system to turn to remote learning.

De Blasio said flexibility was the biggest need in grading students as everyone has had to adjust to the new normal.

“We want to make sure the grading policy we’re using now fits the reality of the moment now,” de Blasio said at a City Hall briefing today.

The City will keep the grading system for high school students largely the same, although students will have the option to convert a passing letter grade to a “Pass” rating so their GPA will remain unaffected.

Students with a failing grade or incomplete coursework will be given a “Course In Progress” rating and be enrolled in a summer program, which is likely to be remote as well. They will have until January 2021 to complete coursework, de Blasio said.

The City has scrapped the normal grading system for middle school and elementary school students however.

Middle schools students, in grades 6 through 8, will receive grades of “Meets Standards,” “Needs Improvement” or “Course In Progress.”

Elementary school students, in grades K through 5, will receive grades of “Meets Standards” or “Needs Improvement.”

The Department of Education (DOE) will automatically enroll every student who gets “Course In Progress” and “Needs Improvement” grades in summer programming.

The DOE will go the extra mile to help high school seniors and eighth graders who are struggling graduate, de Blasio said.

“We just want to make sure every senior who can graduate does,” de Blasio said.

The mayor said that the city will also throw a virtual graduation ceremony for all New York City public school seniors graduating this year with special guests.

“We’re going to do one big celebration of New York City’s high school seniors,” de Blasio said.

“You may not have the traditional ceremony that you were looking forward to. We’re going to give you something you’ll remember for the rest of your life and you’ll cherish.”

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Catch the fall vibe at these western Queens breweries

Sep. 3, 2025 By Jessica Militello

September rings in the start of Oktoberfest from mid-September through October, featuring special brews, fun events and more fall fun. Western Queens is filled with breweries to enjoy seasonal brews, fall flavors and the start of cooler weather as Autumn approaches, making it a perfect time to meet up with friends at these local spaces.

Op-Ed | Four years after Hurricane Ida, Queens deserves real climate resilience

Sep. 2, 2025 By Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas

Four years ago, Hurricane Ida tore through our neighborhoods of East Elmhurst, Corona and Jackson Heights, leaving behind devastation we will never forget. We lost neighbors to the floodwaters. Families saw their homes destroyed, their basements wiped out, their lives upended. Immigrant families—so many of them undocumented—were hit the hardest, often excluded from relief altogether. Ida was not just a storm; it was a wake-up call.