Teachers are now required to submit grades promptly after finals in compliance with a decision on Monday, Nov. 19 in a meeting between the district’s school’s senates.

Final grades are now due in 5 working days after finals. The move was by the academic senates of the district’s three schools on Monday in a meeting at College of San Mateo. This change to the amount of days when final grades roll was discussed in a previous meeting and then approved on the meeting Monday. This only affects Fall and Spring semesters; the plan for the Summer semester is still being negotiated.

“The District Academic Senate and the VP Council have agreed to set the grades due date to be fixed at 5 working days from the end of finals,” said Leigh Anne Shaw, President of the Academic Senate. “It extends the gap time for students to register”

Previously, the system of when final grade rolls was inconsistent. This new system will help stabilize it.

“It wasn’t consistent,” said Shaw, “one semester, it was 4 days when final grades were due and another it was 2 days. That’s been the issue.”

The due date for final grades for this semester was originally on Dec. 22th, but it was pushed back to Dec. 28th because it was during Winter recess, when teachers weren’t working.

This new system was actually something that the teachers requested; it provides ample time to finish grading.

“For example, a math teacher would need to grade around 50 tests or an English teacher would need to grade a stack of essays,” said Shaw, “faculty is just happy for the breathing room. Faculty needed more time; we were not able to plan well, so the fixed grading day is a win-win.”