Autopsy of a failed extension policy

There is a challenge as an instructor to balance the tension between flexibility and accountability in assignment due dates. I have long used an extension policy in my classes out of a desire to give students some flexibility on due dates. Students may have many good reasons that warrant extensions: work schedules, athletics, family crises, exams or major assignments in other courses, and more. After using a relatively generous extension policy in my courses for several years, I became concerned that some students may not be served well by this policy and reviewed the policy and its effects on student grades. In this article I describe how student extension usage correlates with grades.