What This Story Is About
- Metro Nashville school administrators are publicly defending the district’s grading system after WSMV4’s “Making the Grade” investigations, in which former teachers, a school counselor and a former superintendent alleged that students received grades they didn’t earn — including through grade overrides and the district’s credit recovery system.
Why It Matters
- Former educators allege grade manipulation ties to graduation rates, with one former counselor calling the practice a “diploma mill.” The credit recovery system named by administrators is the same system used at Stratford High School, where grade falsification was documented in 2019 and is now the subject of a state investigation into claims that manipulation continued in recent years.
- A state investigation into Stratford High School’s credit recovery practices is ongoing.
For Context
- Teachers, including Samira Hardcastle, along with a school counselor and a former superintendent, have documented what they call falsification of grades in Metro schools. They say the district’s intent is to improve graduation rates.
NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) – Metro Nashville school administrators defended the district’s grading system Tuesday afternoon following WSMV4’s “Making the Grade” investigations, which have featured former teachers, a school counselor and a former superintendent alleging that students received grades they didn’t earn.
Teachers, including Samira Hardcastle, along with a school counselor and a former superintendent, have documented what they call falsification of grades in Metro schools. They say the district’s intent is to improve graduation rates.
“It has just become a diploma mill,” said Constance Wade, a former school counselor.
Former teacher describes dispute over grade change
Since her resignation, Hardcastle has become an advocate for teachers, criticizing how she says she was treated after a dispute with a parent who wanted a student’s failing grade changed after the student didn’t turn in an assignment. An administrator overrode the grade…