If you get a 26% in high school it usually has nothing to do with how smart you are, it's about want-to. He obviously hasn't done his homework, and in math you really get killed because concepts/skills build on one-another.

I have no sympathy for my students that fail my class or others. High school is set up to be a breeze. Jump through some hoops (homework) and you can do shitty on tests and still pass. Total opposite of college, which is why a lot of kids (everywhere) flunk out.

I hope he gets his grade up, but next time I hope he does what he needs to do when he's supposed to do it.