Utah Public School Grading Falls Under the Microscope - Updated

Critics and skeptics say failing grades speak to flaws in the system

The Standard-Examiner reports that "[t]wo Top of Utah high schools received failing grades overall from the state in the first-ever release of ratings for public schools."

• Viewmont, Ben Lomond high schools get F grades from state

Via the Democratic Education Caucus of Weber County, "here is the information from the Ogden School District on the school grades released from the state replete with Mr. Smith's explanations":

• Superintendant Brad Smith Memorandum

 More from the Standard: "Critics and skeptics Utah's grading system for its schools say failing grades for Ben Lomond and Viewmont High Schools speaks to flaws in the system rather than the failings of the individual schools":

• Utah critics: Grading system flawed, schools misrepresented

So what do you think, fellow Utahns?

OSD "Superintendant Smith"

Update 9/5/13 9:15 a.m.: In a dazzling display of political opportunism, and with a neck-snapping 180-degree flip-flop from his remarks contained in the above-linked memorandum, Ogden School District Superintendent Brad Smith now says he supports the grading system that "clobbered" OSD schools earlier this week:

• Ogden educator applauds controversial new grading system

Political chameleon, anyone?

Mr. Smith apparently doesn't subscribe to the philosophy: "The buck stops here," we guess.