School District Eliminates Grade Of Zero

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Hold students responsible for assignments, keep them from dropping out
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How to increase graduation rates and improve achievement in the classroom is the goal of every school district. With that in mind, a Council Bluffs administrator is behind a controversial plan to eliminate the grade of zero.

"I just try to make it a good experience," says Thomas Jefferson psychology teacher Mary Beth Runge. "If they can be engaged and if they can be excited or interested or even mildly amused by what they're doing, then what they end up with is more learning taking place and hopefully that's always the goal."

Sometimes assignments don't get turned in which can result in a grade of zero and the possibility students will give up and drop out of school.

"If you get a zero on three assignments for instance, maybe the first two weeks, you don't want to come to school, you're mad at the world, you wish it was still summertime,” says Council Bluffs Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Martha Bruckner.

“Three zeros, unless I hold you accountable for making those up, those three zeros pretty much mean you're not going to pass."

Dr. Bruckner says students should get 50%, which is still an F, for a missed assignment. It's still a failing grade, but an incentive for students to stay in school and complete those assignments.

"What we're trying to say is don't let those zeroes get in the way of helping kids have a chance to learn. What we want teachers to do is not to let kids off the hook by saying you didn't have that in, going to give you a zero, you don't have to do the work because I've already given you a zero."

"What we want you to say is we want you to do the work because what we're doing in this class is important."

It's controversial, but Dr. Bruckner believes if it keeps kids coming to class, it's worth it. "The goal is to keep kids on the hook, but to keep them believing I have a reason to keep working in here." And attaining success in the classroom.

Superintendent Bruckner says her idea corrects an imbalance in the grading scale. Students will still have to prove their proficiency by passing state standardized tests.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: jack on Jul 1, 2009 at 09:17 AM
Is the first principle of education to punish students who do poorly? Dr. Bruckner argues that the chances of turning things around for students in danger of dropping out and making them an active part of the educational system, may be higher under this system. You may argue that this won't work, or suggest a better way to do this, but instead, most of these comments seem to be arguing that accurately recording poor performance is a more important goal than rescuing these students.

Posted by: Renee on Jan 30, 2009 at 08:21 AM
I think this is a wonderful move! Think of it this way--if we operate on a typical 100 point scale with 90-100 being an A, and so on, then a child technically has 40 chances to earn a D or higher and has 60 chances to fail. If we remove the zero, then we level out the playing field. Why would we only give a child 10 chances to earn an A, yet give him/her 60 chances to earn a failing grade? It doesn't make sense. I applaud this district for taking this step.

Posted by: Wade Frink on Dec 18, 2008 at 11:38 PM
What about the kids that do the work and have the same struggles as the ones who don't want to do the work. Hold the students and the parents accountable. We need to quit making things easier for these kids. What happens to these kids when life hits them in the face when they turn of age. WE NEED TO STOP MAKING LIFE EASY. BECAUSE LIFE HAS ITS UPS AND DOWNS. We need to teach them what to do when life is down so when they are down at 25 the know there is hope if you keep going.

Posted by: teacherdan on Sep 22, 2008 at 02:31 PM
This is the most illogical educational trend I have ever heard of. Changing the low grade to 50 makes it easier for those who are failures to pass. And believe me, we will pay the price for it. THIS is why our test scores are so low. THIS is why our children can't read or write. THIS is why they can't do math. THIS is why they are ignorant about science. THIS is why they don't know much about the world. You can do nothing and still earn a 50? In my experience, it does not keep students motivated. It does not make them successful. It does just the opposite. It teaches children that they can do half-hearted work and it will not be judged a failure. No wonder we have a second-rate educational system. We are being led down the path to mediocrity. I refuse to be part of the trend. I put the grade the student earned. If the administrator wants to change the grade, they certainly may. But I keep a copy of my grades. This has to stop now.

Posted by: William on Aug 29, 2008 at 09:56 AM
If a student is in class 90 days then I will have around 60-65 grades. Three zeros out of 60 grades will not fail the student. However if a student has 20 zeros then they will fail. And 20 zeros are more indicative of a students work ethic in class. Now if you only have ten grades in 90 days, then I can see three zeros failing a student. But that would be more indicative of what can of teacher you are.

Posted by: High school chemistry teacher on Jun 25, 2008 at 12:50 AM
This initiative is making it up into Canada, and teachers are accused of being 'out to get kids' if they fail them. I would love to have all my students complete the work - the trouble is tracking them down to actually do it. They don't show up at appointed times, they get referred, and the administrator says to keep them in to make up time, and again they fail to show. If i cannot get them to come in, I am at fault. It is very demoralizing to teach anymore. Giving a student a 50% regardless will not end up as a failure in Canada. The policy is 'oh, they're close, so bump them up to a passing grade.' Is education worthwhlie anymore?

Posted by: Anonymous on Jan 18, 2008 at 04:08 PM
To Fed Up: Bravo! It's good to hear of someone fighting back when high expectations are challenged by low expectations.

Posted by: To No Name on Jan 18, 2008 at 01:49 PM
To no name: The fact that you think a failing grade of 50% for doing nothing is okay makes me think you must have gone through life this way..getting something for nothing..and obviously have no math aptitude. What happens when you AVERAGE in the 50% instead of using ZERO? If I'm not mistaken, that would make a huge difference.

Posted by: Fed Up on Jan 17, 2008 at 07:48 PM
I love how this controversial idea is being attributed to Dr. Bruckner. Most district in Omaha are "encouraging" this practice. Where did Bruckner come from...Millard. This is an idea of education gurus out of Canada! The article most certainly states that students are given 50% for doing nothing. As a teacher I give incompletes which are factored as a zero until the work is turned in, but there should and is a time limit. High expectations are challenged by administration as not being best practices. A vast part of my job is to prepare these students for the real world, but I feel like I am not allowed.

Posted by: steve on Jan 17, 2008 at 06:50 PM
all this does is let kids know it is ok to slide by why this is even an option needs us to rethink the school board and reappoint the whole panel. the idea that they can't give 0's now is absurd if they don't do the work give them a 0 which they fully deserve if they try then give them a failing grage but there needs to be the option of giving a 0 since that is what these kids will be if they don't have to do the work without getting a 0

Posted by: Anonymous on Jan 16, 2008 at 07:02 PM
Whats the deal? A zero, an F or 50%. Hmmm on the report card I'll bet they all look alike, not passing!! Hmmm, I wonder how this will effect the rest of their lives? I wonder if the judicial system will give them a 50% or if the employer will, how about a spouse. Heck the kid I recieved change from today could not even count it out to me, I had to count it out to him!! He also gave me back $.61 too much. No I did'nt take it, I gave it back to him.

Posted by: Keith on Jan 16, 2008 at 04:21 PM
This idea is born out of liberal 60's psychology. Based on similar ideas, Stanford University changed their grading policy in 1970, abolishing F's, because they were "a negative motivation". After 24 years, the faculty decided the system was a failure. Upon reinstating the F grade, Stanford President Gerhard Casper stated, "Unless you dare something and admit that you may fail, you are living in an illusionary world, and that is not something that should be part of the notion of an education." ("Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it," from Reason in Common Sense, George Santayana, 1905)

Posted by: Mary on Jan 15, 2008 at 06:29 PM
This "cooking the numbers" also works for school systems "meeting" state standards for education.

Posted by: Jeff on Jan 15, 2008 at 01:27 PM
If you were a teacher, would you say you were teaching if you were failing over 50% of your class? This is happening now in Council Bluffs and the teachers feel it is the students fault! What worked 35 years ago is not working now. The teachers need to teach!

Posted by: RM on Jan 15, 2008 at 01:16 PM
So is Council Bluffs going to let a bunch o ZEROS graduate?

Posted by: Kristine on Jan 15, 2008 at 12:14 PM
This has to be the biggest pile I have heard yet. First the government takes the right away to fail the students and now we need to take the right away to give a zero. I understand exactly what this means we are teaching the kids that they can go through life and do nothing and still get something for it. They will already get passed on from one grade to the next so why make them do the work. One would or should I say I would think that if I was the new Superintendent I would try and do something good for the school not find an additional way to help shuffle the kids through the system. I guess this is why so many people think that they don't have to work and the state will pay their way. I guess school has become the new educational means to teach children how to live your life on welfare.

Posted by: JRTM on Jan 15, 2008 at 12:09 PM
I am so happy to have options. My favorite teacher does not give zeros, he gives incompletes. If you don't do the work, you will have an incomplete because that is what you did- not complete. I know many kids who will quit when they are down, "what is the point if iam already failing"

Posted by: Teach on Jan 15, 2008 at 10:46 AM
I am a teacher and I agree with Roxie. There must be accountability! It would be like paying people a salary for not working why even show up? 5 years from now all we will hear is how students are so unprepared for college and work.

Posted by: mc on Jan 15, 2008 at 10:46 AM
This is absurd! If you don't do the work...you don't get any points. There should be consequences for actions. If you don't turn work in...and you have to take the class over...so be it. Life is not easy...and I don't believe school should be either. I am only 30 years old and it saddens me to see how much things have changed and how we no longer hold our youth responsible for their actions.

Posted by: No Name on Jan 15, 2008 at 10:44 AM
I think all you folks who have posted, need to go back to school and learn to READ! Re-Read the article and read it slow this time, they aren't getting a passing grade, they are only getting 50% credit!!! Dr Martha Bruckner is one of the smartest ladies and for all of you to be bashing her idea is crazy! If she has it all wrong, then let's hear your ideas? One more thing, Omaha Nebraska people, STOP BRINGING YOUR KIDS TO CBCS!!! I take my children to TJ High School everyday and while waiting to turn into the parking lot, I see NO LESS than 10 cars with Nebraska license plates bringing their kids to school in CB, must not be that bad then I take it? At least CB is attempting to make things better, all that Omaha and your "learning communities" can do is COMPLAIN about who is getting more money... It's amazing how many people I work with who say that OPS is terrible and try to get their kids in Millard Schools. Thank You Mrs. Bruckner for making CB schools great!

Posted by: Sandy on Jan 15, 2008 at 10:42 AM
This is falsifing records - how can this be a help? - it teaches to cheat, lie and be a sluggard. They should be held accountable to make it up - if not, then get the 0. If you don't show up to work - you don't get paid. They are old enough to learn these ethics by the time they get to high school.

Posted by: Eric on Jan 15, 2008 at 10:16 AM
This just screams product of "NO Child Left Behind" if they cant pass a class, and cant graduate to a standard well lets just lower the standards so everyone can graduate. The US Public education system is a joke. Every school wants good teachers, but cant afford them on state and federal subsidy. Low and behold they cut funding for schools that fail to perform making a bad situation worse. You have under qualified instructors "filling in" teaching slots ie. a gym teacher picking up a history class because the school has one else qualified to teach it. The situation is never going to get better so long as we subsidize failure.

Posted by: Chris on Jan 15, 2008 at 10:04 AM
Lisa, the article clearly says, "Sometimes assignments don't get turned in which can result in a grade of zero... Dr. Bruckner says students should get 50%, which is still an F, for a missed assignment" That clearly states that even if you don't turn in an assignment, you still get 50% of the possible points for it. What if a student actually trys, and does turn in the assignment and gets a 40% for his work? He would have done better by not even trying.

Posted by: Dave on Jan 15, 2008 at 09:40 AM
Pampering kids is not going to prepare them for the real world. I don't see how an "F" is any more motivation than a zero.

Posted by: M on Jan 15, 2008 at 09:33 AM
I wish my Job was like that, maybe I could do absolutely NO work, and they would pay me 50% of my salary! If you do nothing, you get nothing! That's Life!

Posted by: Teacher on Jan 15, 2008 at 09:21 AM
I think this is a horrible idea... Regardless of whether or not they still have to complete the work, they still have the option of not completing it on time. CB schools are not holding students accountable. What kind of example are they setting? High school is supposed to prepare students for the real world, where completing work on time, whether it be at home, or at the workplace is important. I think expectations are becoming more relaxed across the whole educational spectrum. This is leading to our children failing when they get out into the real world because they have no concept of what lies ahead for them.

Posted by: C.L. on Jan 15, 2008 at 09:18 AM
A child or teen doesn't do what he/she is suppose to but still must be made to feel good. Rubbish. They can stay after school and do the assignment or take a 0. Standards, rules and morals never hurt children growing up in the 50's and it is no different today. Let me retract myself, it is different because there are no standards, rules or morals that they must be held accountable for as long as they are made to feel good.

Posted by: Lee on Jan 15, 2008 at 08:28 AM
OK, we wonder what is happening to our kids these days, well here is a prime example! Just give them what they want to get them thru life?? This is absurd, and definately quite rediculous. Why don't you just give them diplomas for attempting to get out of bed and go to school? That is crazy nuts.

Posted by: Upset on Jan 15, 2008 at 07:53 AM
There are better grading systems that will accomplish what this group is after. This methodology is wrong and teachs children that failure has some reward and almost no accountability. I believe you'll find that most CB teachers do not agree with this, I've talked to a few about it already. The school system needs to look at a new grading scale but not giving 50% for little to nothing. You're right CB Schools, something needs to change but this is NOT the answer. Get the principles and administration to start supporting the teachers and you will get enormous results, letting children fail or disrupt others will get you more failing and disruptive students. I live in CB but will not send my child to schools that suggest to teachers that passing a child to make them feel good is the right answer. Teachers, stand your ground.

Posted by: C on Jan 15, 2008 at 07:51 AM
I agree with most of the posters here. So, the child turns in an assignment that is totally NOT done and gets 50%. Using that logic, if the child turns in an assignment that is 50% complete, then they should get 100% and be in National Honor Society...right!? It's bad enough that we quit (in some areas) giving out Valedictorian awards 'cause we don't want to show favortism. Bull. So, we have one child out of 20 who turns in a blank paper and gets 50%. We have another child in that group who "just does not get" the assignment. That child turns in an assignment with every question answered but more are wrong than right...and they get a 45%. Show me the logic.

Posted by: Roxie on Jan 15, 2008 at 07:42 AM
I am so sick of all this eductional mumble jumble. School is for learning. To learn one must do assignments. Do the work, get a grade. Don't do the work, get a zero!

Posted by: Matt on Jan 15, 2008 at 06:09 AM
Unbelieveable! School is supposed to prepare students for the "real world," but this just does the opposite. Deadlines are established for a reason, whether they be on school assignments, projects at work, or whatever. Part of completing an assignment is doing so by the deadline. One of the previous posts mentions, "even good students occasionally miss an assignment." Yep, I was one of those good students, and when I DID miss one, I got a zero for it and went on with my life. It didn't make me want to stop coming to school or anything like that. It reflected what I had earned for the assignment -- NOTHING. As a good student, I also knew that if something truly came up and I wouldn't be able to get an assignment done on time, I could talk to the teacher AHEAD of the deadline and work out an extension. Students need to be mature and take some responsiblity for their own actions and education. This move encourages neither of those things.

Posted by: Lisa on Jan 15, 2008 at 01:02 AM
I think the earliest posters have misunderstood. The kid still has to turn in the assignment, and they will then get 50% credit even though it was late. They still have to do the work, and will still have to do considerable work at a much higher level to pull that class grade up to a passing level. I do not think this is unreasonable at all. Even some very good students occasionally miss an assignment... and to have the incentive to get at least half credit instead of zero will go a long way in reflecting the level of work and learning the kid has done. This policy says the kids are still responsible for getting the work done... they don't get 50% for doing nothing!

Posted by: Charles Wolfe on Jan 14, 2008 at 10:59 PM
Thanks for continuing to lower the standards. What is it going to take to get through to everyone, this is the problem with society. These kids are going to get run over after high school by the reality bus and it is the school systems fault for allowing them to do so. If I was a teacher in this district I would quit.

Posted by: confused on Jan 14, 2008 at 10:49 PM
So they can sit in a class they dont want to be in and disrupt the other students whom want to be there and get an education? How are they going to act in the real world? Maybe try this out at an alternative high school first.......see how it works with the disadvantaged youth and go from there. The No Child Left Behind line already has good teachers taking up alot of time trying to deal with kids that shouldnt be in that class in the first place, rather than teach.

Posted by: J on Jan 14, 2008 at 10:41 PM
Truly a worthless idea. Now they get points for doing NOTHING. Hmmm, maybe they can get a job as a CB Public Schools Administrator!

Posted by: Teacher on Jan 14, 2008 at 10:09 PM
What a joke! As a teacher this story makes me ashamed of my profession. If I don't do my job I'm not going to be paid. Why should students be rewarded for doing nothing. Here we go with another hand out...

Posted by: Debbie on Jan 14, 2008 at 09:12 PM
If I tell my employer that I am mad and am not going to do what I should, can I still collect half of my paycheck?

Posted by: What? on Jan 14, 2008 at 08:22 PM
This administrator deserves a grade of zero for this "feel good" plan - and employers will soon realize that diplomas issued by this district are worth "zero" - failures build character and prepare students for life.

Posted by: Cop on Jan 14, 2008 at 08:20 PM
What a joke! You don't do any of the work and you get half of it right? What kind of math is that? You get a zero on three assignment and you're mad at the world. YOu got a zero on three assignments because you chose not to do the work and turn it in. All this creates is future clients for people in my line of work.

Posted by: J on Jan 14, 2008 at 07:54 PM
This is setting those kids up for failing in college, where they still give zero's. WAY TO GO COUNCIL BLUFFS! You shouldn't aid kids in being dumb.

Posted by: A on Jan 14, 2008 at 07:33 PM
What is that teaching the students? Its alright to not do your homework because your still going to get some points for it. Those kids are going to be in the shock of a lifetime when they get out into the real world and they see that you actually have to work to accomplish jobs and make a living. This teaches kids nothing. If I had a kid in that district I would pull them out of those schools so fast. American schools get such a poor grade already compared to so many different countries. Council Bluffs Public Schools already have bad reputation for their education system, and this is definately not going to improve their situation.

Posted by: citizen on Jan 14, 2008 at 07:30 PM
Anyone remember when public school actually taught kids. I can........35 years ago.

Posted by: Josh on Jan 14, 2008 at 06:49 PM
Why don't you just have the kid do the assignment? Now if they don't want to do it, they actually get a better grade than they did before. That doesn't solve anything.

Posted by: Chris on Jan 14, 2008 at 06:39 PM
As long as they pass proficiency tests, the other work just informs the teacher of whether the student is coming along fine or not and gives the student practice. It's about time school districts caught up to this idea.