A grade calculator becomes a student’s best friend at the end of every semester, helping students weigh quarter and exam grades needed to secure the A. But now, MCPS’ new grading system has changed the equation.

Following the Board of Education’s recent decision to scrap semester exams, semester grades will be determined by averaging the letter grade from each quarter using a quality point system similar to GPA (A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, E=0).

“This new grading calculation aligns with standards-based approaches to assessment and college expectations and provides a grading structure that is fair, consistent, and understandable for students and parents,” Interim Superintendent Larry Bowers said in an email sent to parents announcing the change.

While semester grades for classes without exams were previously based on trends, the new policy will no longer penalize students for downward trends and generally defaults to the higher grade. For instance, not only can a student aiming for an A now maintain that grade with a B in either quarter, but the system’s leniency also allows students to receive an A and a D and still earn a B overall.

As a result, the new policy has stirred controversy over the effect an “easier A” could have on students’ work ethic.

“I think it removes a lot of pressure, but also gives kids a chance to give up for a quarter,” freshman Elizabeth Garner said. “Kids will slack off because there’s no benefit to working as hard.”

Many students are still resentful about the initial decision to remove exams and change the semester grading in the first place.

“I wasn’t really a fan of the county removing final exams because I thought we had a good system as is,” junior Connor Mitchell said. “The new grading system is just a bunch of work for the school to have to put up with.”