Mineola's Build Your Own Grade learning program has been terminated, superintendent says
Mineola schools Superintendent Michael Nagler outside of Mineola High School in 2020. Credit: Howard Schnapp
The Mineola school district has terminated a digital educational program for eighth graders following widespread opposition from parents who claimed the program mainly left students learning on their iPads rather than from teachers.
Schools Superintendent Michael Nagler announced the end of the program in a letter to parents Friday, the day after the school board voted to hire an Albany law firm to investigate its rollout. The program, known as Build Your Own Grade, had been developed by a company owned by Nagler and his son, James Nagler.
“With this step, I am hopeful that we can move forward together in a united goal of bringing consistency, stability and support to our students in all they do and seek to achieve,” Nagler wrote in the letter to parents. “My intention is to work in collaboration and partnership with our community to do just that," he said, adding the board directed him to end the program based on community feedback at the board meeting.
In the letter, Nagler also noted that teachers will discuss class requirements and grading policy with parents.
The program, launched in September, had been implemented in the eighth grade at Mineola High School. The initiative was not well-received, resulting in its suspension earlier this month.
More than 600 people signed a petition seeking to have the program removed and some parents had questioned whether Nagler had a conflict of interest and raised concerns over students' data security.
The high school's principal, Rory Parnell, addressed the backlash in a letter announcing that eighth graders would no longer have to participate in the program.
“I want to acknowledge that pain and mistrust directly — and to offer a sincere apology,” Parnell told parents in the letter. “In the care we placed into writing curriculum, supporting teachers and rolling out this program, our intent and vision were lost in translation.”
During the board meeting last week, Nagler apologized for causing any upset. He said the effort was intended to help address student gaps between grades on the New York State Regents exam and on report cards.
Lorena Mongelli has been reporting for Newsday since 2021. Prior to that, she covered breaking news at the New York Post.
