Des Moines Public Schools is giving Middle and High School students who failed a class this year another chance this summer or next school year. "F's" are being replaced with Incompletes.
The district made the announcement this week in a blog post on its website.
"We, like other urban school districts, tried to balance learning, safety, and long-term solutions to problems created by COVID-19," said Sarah Dougherty, the director of secondary teaching and learning at Des Moines Public Schools. "We understand that the virtual learning model, although the right choice for the health of our community, has revealed and deepened existing inequities impacting some student learning despite real progress on making grades in DMPS about what students know and are able to do."
Dougherty also noted an F on a transcript could impact what students are able to do after they graduate from high school.
"An 'F' or course failure on a grade report or transcript during a global health crisis is not equitable or informative of student learning and may have immense impacts on future opportunities," Dougherty said.
You can read more on this on the Des Moines Public Schools website.