GFT President, Sanjay Sharma, reached out to GDOE Superintendent, Jon Fernandez, expressing concerns regarding the transition to Standards-Based Grading (SBG). GDOE is undertaking a campaign to promote Standards-Based Grading (SBG) and will contemplate a change in grading district-wide. This campaign includes a 3-year phase of pilot programs within schools, recent community meetings to encourage parental involvement on SBG, and an interview with Deputy Superintendent Joe Sanchez on K-57. Mr. Sanchez has also met with various school leadership to share updates regarding the implementation of SBG. Teachers have also discussed SBG from time-to-time in our scheduled meetings. In fact, goal one of the State Strategic Plan (Vision 2020) proposed a timeline to implement SBG. However, students and teachers need to be included in the discussions that will have a resounding impact on the future of the Department. One of the steps on the timeline for the SBG implementation was to have an ongoing solicitation of input from all schools.
Sharma suggested that the Department make use of a survey to gather feedback from the teachers to help guide the Guam Education Board on determining whether the classroom teachers are ready to use SBG. Sharma provided a survey form that GDOE may consider using and has offered to assist the department on the interpretation of the results.