"The teacher said it is apparent that some students have lost interest in excelling, seeing the same grade awarded for varied levels of success, the teacher said."

...One Montgomery teacher, who asked not to be named to speak freely, said the grading system was overly ambiguous, with P’s covering too wide a range of work. The teacher said it is apparent that some students have lost interest in excelling, seeing the same grade awarded for varied levels of success, the teacher said.
Jeffrey Thames, a PTA president at two Silver Spring elementary schools and founder of the nonprofit Hope Restored, said the report card has been “extremely challenging” for families with limited English ability or little experience with school advocacy.
“The parents are finding out too late that the child is struggling, especially in the minority community and in the immigrant community, due to the unfamiliar format,” Thames said...

The Washington Post:  A plethora of P’s on report cards confound parents in Montgomery County