Parents and guardians of Federal Way school students, as of today I still have not seen any changes in the Federal Way school district ABCF:1234 grading system. A grading system I believe that I have irrefutably proved is inferior to a plus/minus grading system and places our children at a competitive disadvantage when competing for entry into universities and for scholarships.

lease see my article in the Mirror: www.federalwaymirror.com/opinion/federal-way-schools-need-new-grading-system/.

Now we parents/guardians have another opportunity to question the school district at the Standards-Based Grading and Reporting Parent Forum from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan 31 at Lakota Middle School(check www.fwps.org/ for any date/time/venue changes).

We need to have the district answer the critical question: How does the district’s ABCF:1234 grading system support the best interests of our children who are competing for entry into universities and for scholarships over a plus/minus grading system?

And please note that we cannot accept a non-specific, generalized, non-committal answer to that question. The Federal Way school district needs to provide a specific answer with logic to support that district answer and make that answer public for all to see, review and evaluate.

And, if we disagree with the district’s answer, then we need to have the district revert back to a plus/minus grading system immediately and certainly no later than the start of the 2018-2019 school year.

Because I believe any grading system used impacts our children’s futures in profound ways we parents/guardians need to ensure that the grading system used supports the best interests of our children. As for me, right now, I see the plus/minus grading system as superior to the current grading system. Hopefully you agree.

Also, with all the Federal Way students who are affected each year by the current grading system maybe the Mirror would like to research and report on this extremely important issue?

Frank Comito, Federal Way