North Carolina Schools Cash-for-Grades Fund Raiser Pulled

Last year, the Goldsboro Middle School in North Carolina sold chocolates to raise money, but that didn't go very well. So this year, the idea was to sell grades for $20 a pop, but Wayne County school administrators have now put a stop to that.

The administrators were alerted to the unusual fund raising practice of selling grades by an article that appeared in the News & Observer Apparently, as far as the school's principal and some parents were concerned, it was a winning idea. A student who made a $20 donation to Rosewood Middle School would have added 20 test points, which comes out to 10 extra points on two tests that the student chose. That could lift a B to an A, or prop up a failing grade to a D. Principal Susie Shepherd said the idea came from the parent advisory council and she endorsed it. She said the council was just looking for a new way to raise money.

"Last year they did chocolates, and it didn't generate anything,"

But yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon, it was requested that Susie Shepherd meet with the district administration to address the matter. And afterwards, Mrs. Shepherd directed that: (1) the fundraiser be immediately stopped (2) no extra grade credit will be issued that may have resulted from donations (3) beginning November 12, all donations will be returned. But Principal Shepherd was still not convinced that it wasn't a good idea. She points out that giving extra points on two tests won't make a difference in a student's final grade.

It's wrong to think that "one particular grade could change the entire focus of nine weeks,"

But North Carolina education officials, who ordinarily wouldn't deal with an issue regarding grades at an individual school, were not pleased to learn of Rosewood's effort. The Chief Academic Officer for North Carolina's Department of Public Instruction, Rebecca Garland, said she knows that schools are struggling in the recession and that tight state and local budgets have put pressure on the schools to come up with their own money-raising plans. And she admits that the practice of teachers giving extra test credit to students who bring in classroom supplies is a longstanding one.

"If a student in college were to approach a professor to buy a grade, we would be frowning on that. It might even be a reason for dismissal. We're teaching kids something that if they were to do it later, they could get in trouble for. Students should know that test grades are based on what they've learned, and parents need to have a true picture of how their child is performing in class."

Rosewood principal Shepherd, says her school needs more technology and that any money raised would help them to buy digital cameras for the school's computer lab and a high-tech blackboard. But she points out that no donations have been collected towards that aim so far. The district say it's continuing to investigate the situation, and will take additional actions if it is deemed necessary.