I don't get the point of this question from a parent's perspective. As I've noted here before my perspectives from several vantage points - graduate, active alumni, and parent current member of the regiment.
From what I can tell here we have parent (kpbaseballmom) asking about how the class rate system will/is being applied to setbacks:
"What is the Academy's policy regarding plebes sent home on set back after 2nd tri but returning after 1st fall tri? Are they considered recognized and no longer having to perform plebe duties or are then considered mids? Is this decision a school policy or under the company commander's discretion? "
As a parent the only reason I'd begin to care about this was/is if it in some way affected my own DS/DD who had received a setback and was now returning to campus.
However when I personalize it and put on my own parent "cap" I still come up with an answer to the "s this something I should be involved in?" question or care about - a whopping NO. If this were the case my kid would be at the beginning of a second chance to grab the golden ring - a college degree from a great school and likely one of the higher paying jobs and careers immediately upon graduation, without the burden of loans. Given they already basically "screwed the pooch" on their first chance at grabbing the golden ring, whether or not they have to follow "Plebe" Class Rates, 4th Classman Class Rates, or 3rd Classman Class Rates really wouldn't be something I'd personally care about at all. Further if my own DS were the affected person and he didn't feel it fair as it might be different in a) a different company/dorm or b) wasn't how he saw it and thought it would be when he returned to campus as a setback based on how it was done last year but it's different now; what I'd basically tell him about how to treat the situation, would probably be on the order of look at it and thinks about/put up with it and the other things that he feels are illogical or BS, all as part of the "work" part of the "work/study" program that pays for the ~$250K+ education he is getting.
So what I'm saying while I'd offer a sympathetic ear, I certainly wouldn't wouldn't coddle on such subjects nor would I add any fuel to his fire on the subject if he had an issue with it. I'd just try and make sure he was focusing on making sure he addressed everything he had to during the rest of his resumed academic year, then got out to sea and got back in a manner that made sure he graduated within five years of reporting for INDOC and have both of us thank our stars he got a second chance so he could do so.
As an alumni I have even sterner thoughts when parents, who have no direct experience as members of the Regiment at USMMA or the similar groups at Federal Service Academies, seem to want to participate and offer "suggestions for improvement" to the non-academic portions and aspects of Midshipmen Life. I guess it's like how the an involved/proud graduate member of a storied Fraternity/Sorority might feel if some perspective member/rush's parent had issues with the whole initiation rite of passage their child was undergoing. I'm not saying the parent should offer their advice/opinion to their child - regardless of the age of the child - au contraire. What I am saying is it is impossible for the parent to fully understand context of the situation their child is in and other than basic encouragement, there's really little else of value we can offer our kid, IMO, in these sorts of situations. I say that because a lot of time when these sorts of things don't make sense and seem illogical - they are indeed so and that's really just the way it is/will be. In those cases adding our own emotions and feelings on the subject matter only either a) is a waste of energy for us and our kid; or b) actually exacerbates the negative feelings and emotions our own kid has on the subject and like my dearly departed mom would say -"no good can come of it."
Just one man's opinion on the subject.