California first state to replace school grades with emojis

Sacramento (dpo) - English: 😳, P.E.: 😄, math: 💩 – from next semester, this could be an example of a California high school student’s report card. The State Senate has announced that the grading system is to be completely overhauled and will now employ emojis rather than letters.

The new grades are intended to make it easier for students to correctly assess their performance in different subjects. Chair of the California Senate Education Committee, Phyllis Hammond, points out that, “Today’s teenagers cannot make sense of a complex grading system ranging from A to F anymore, but they do know every single emoji by heart. I have seen students just shrug uncomprehendingly when they receive a D – yet these are the same students who break down in tears when they get a 😭 and solemnly promise improvement.”

Afraid to go home: 9 year-old Timmy just got a 👻 in math

With the new grading system, though, not every grade is to be exchanged for just one corresponding emoji. Instead, teachers can choose from hundreds of these little pictures to find the most suitable symbol for each individual student's performance. Teachers will be trained in the new system in a two-week course called “👾: See me after”.
As of 9th grade, the new system will still allow for holding students back a year. Students who receive more than four 😿, two 💩 or two 👎 and a 🙈 fail the year, unless they can compensate for their bad grades with 🐽, 😄, 🚀, or 😘 in summer school.
dan, ssi; picture on the right: Shutterstock; first published 2017-07-17
Read the German version HERE.