Minus zero: Collier elementary schools make 50 the lowest possible score

By KATHERINE LEWIS (Contact)
Originally published 4:20 p.m., Saturday, November 8, 2008

NAPLES — Fifty is the new zero — if you are a Collier County elementary school student, that is.

That’s because the Collier County School District is taking a different approach to help kids succeed. In an attempt to help students learn while making it easier for them to succeed, district teachers will issue a score no lower than 50.

Beth Thompson, the district’s executive director for elementary school programs, said the idea is not new in the Collier district. Educators have studied it for years as the district looked to make grading practices more effective.

“It is bringing more alignment into what a student does,â€