Talbot County Ditches Letter Grades | Dover News

Dover News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 20, 2026 · 1m

Talbot County Public Schools is revolutionizing elementary grading by ditching letter grades for third through fifth graders, replacing them with a detailed standards-based system that tracks student mastery on a four-tiered scale—from “Surpassing Proficiency” to “Emerging.” This real-time feedback approach empowers students to own their learning, gives parents clearer insights into skill development, and helps teachers adjust instruction throughout the year. While some welcome the transparency, others miss the simplicity of traditional grades—so the district is stepping up support to ease…