METHUEN — Nearly half the grades given to a segment of the student population at Methuen High School during the second term were D's and F's, according to a new report by the School Department.

The high percentage of poor and failing grades were among Level 2 students, who are considered to be struggling but still preparing to enter a four-year college, a community college, a trade or some other career.

The report calls the grades "inexcusably low."

Jennifer Smith, the School Department's director of assessment and instructional personnel, wrote the report about marks received by students in seventh through 12th grades.

When Smith tallied the total number of A's, B's, C's, D's and F's, she learned that 27 percent of the grades given to Level 2 high-schoolers in core academic subjects were F's and 22 percent were D's.

"That tells me that something's amiss," said Superintendent Jeanne Whitten, who called the information "startling."

Smith did not have exact figures to show how many students failed and received D's. Her report refers only to the percentages of all grades given during the second term.

In addition, the report says high-schoolers receive grades that are "considerably lower" than seventh- and eighth-graders in the city's grammar schools.

The report says the poor performance of Level 2 students and the drop in grades between grammar and high school are "disturbing" trends "that have been steadily expanding over the past few years."

There are 2,189 students enrolled in Level 2 classes. There are only 2,016 students at the high school, but the number of students at each course level is higher than the total number of students because they can take various subjects at different levels. That means they are counted multiple times when administrators tally the number for each level.

Level 3 students are a step up from Level 2 — they are preparing for four-year colleges and universities and are deemed capable of studying advanced topics. Level 4 and Advanced Placement students are elite, high-achieving students and take the most difficult classes.

The report found there were twice as many F's given to Level 2 students than Level 3 students.

Freshman Level 2 students did especially poor — 43 percent of the English grades were F's and 41 percent of the Algebra 1 grades were F's, the report says.

"Clearly, the high school must speedily investigate and improve curriculum, instruction, and assessment in these courses," the report states.

"The Level 2 kids, the sheer number of kids that are not attaining success, the number is far too high," Whitten said. "So we are really beginning to look at that as a district, as a high school."

School leaders are considering grading practices relative to homework, scheduling, the time of day that Level 2 classes are held, and the amount of engagement between teachers and students, Whitten said.

Smith's report says it's likely testing and grading practices are "inconsistent" across the school district. To smooth students' transition from grammar school to high school, she recommends more training for teachers to boost their competence in standards-based assessment. She is offering to help principals talk to teachers about the best practices for that type of assessment.

Smith included a page in the report to define a "standards-based assessment." In a nutshell, it is when teachers and students clearly understand what the students are supposed to know and do after they learn a subject.

Teachers explain the objectives to students and use assessments, like tests and oral presentations, to see if students understand the materials they are taught. Students are supposed to know exactly how they will be assessed.

Students' grades during the second quarter

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Level 2 (struggling students)

Number of students taking Level 2 classes: 2,189

A's earned: 8 percent

B's earned: 19 percent

C's earned: 23 percent

D's earned: 22 percent

F's earned: 27 percent

Level 3 (advanced students)

Number of students taking Level 3 classes: 4,335

A's earned: 14 percent

B's earned: 29 percent

C's earned: 26 percent

D's earned: 17 percent

F's earned: 14 percent

Level 4 and AP classes (top-performing students)

Number of students taking Level 4 and AP classes: 2,097

A's earned: 31 percent

B's earned: 44 percent

C's earned: 18 percent

D's earned: 4 percent

F's earned: 2 percent

Source: School Department Grade Distribution Report

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Note: There are 2,016 students enrolled at the high school. The number of students in each course level is higher than the total number of students at the school because students can take different subjects at different levels, and therefore they are counted multiple times when administrators tally the number of students in each particular level.