An Ontario principal is defending his high school’s decision to let students negotiate their own marks, despite concerns that those marks might not accurately reflect performance.

Principal Jim Kardash is kicking off the pilot project for students entering Grade 9 at Mayfield Secondary School in Caledon, Ont., this month. Teachers are being told to make feedback a priority after each assignment so that students can take a more active role in their education. Students are also expected to use that feedback to argue for their grade at the end of the semester.

“With that feedback, hopefully there’s growth,” Kardash told CTV’s Your Morning on Tuesday.

He added that, while many have criticized the decision to let students negotiate their marks, that element is only the “culminating part” of the pilot project. “The real important part is the feedback that happens during the semester of learning.”

Kardash says the provincially-approved pilot project is based on documented education-based research that suggests feedback is a key element in the learning process.

Kardash also dismissed concerns that students might inflate their marks, saying that he’s read and heard that “students are really quite in tune with where they stand.”

“What they say is that students are really good at articulating where they should be,” he said.

Ontario Education Minister Mitzie Hunter has offered her support for the project.

“We welcome the use of innovative projects to explore best practices in student achievement and well-being,” she said in a statement. “However, school boards are in the best position to determine programs based on the needs of their student body.”

Kardash says teachers are also expected to beware of students who may be too hard on themselves and artificially lower their own marks.

“That’s where the teacher comes in because they also provide their input in that conversation and dialogue.”

In cases where students inflate their scores, Kardash says there will be a review process involving the student, teacher and parent.

“At that point in time we have to sit down and take a look at the evidence and make sure that what does come out of it is in fact a reflective mark.”

The goal of the project is to prevent students from acting like “passengers” at school, Kardash says.

“What we want is more ownership for the students,” he said.