Grading systems and regulations by grade level

The school district recognizes that no one method of student assessment and grade reporting system can be all encompassing. The information outlined below is a starting point for the multi-faceted, comprehensive reporting system that we strive to achieve because it is a critical piece for students, parents, and staff in the overall educational process. 

Student assessment and grade reporting is considered a positive tool to measure growth, progress, and the development of the student. One of several important components of student assessment and grading systems is the student’s report card. This is mentioned specifically because it is the traditional and most often used format for providing information about student progress and performance.

General guidelines

All teachers must provide their students with a written grading policy within 10 days from the beginning of the course. Also, this information is to be shared with parents as part of the first Open House/Parents’ Night held in the fall. This will help to solidify the high school's academic expectations. 

The grading policy should address the following areas: class attendance, class participation, homework, tests, quizzes, projects, working with others, class notes, and, if applicable, extra credit. 

Should a student’s performance decline dramatically over a two-week period (generally meant to be a decline of 10 points or in the student’s average), it is expected that the teacher will make every effort to contact a parent/guardian as soon as possible.

The following are guidelines regarding averaging and maintaining marks for students:

• All marks assigned to students must be arrived at through a justifiable system clearly evident in the teacher's marking book.
  

• With the exception of Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) courses, marks in courses are given in units of one (e.g., 80 or 81 or 82, etc.).
  

• Teachers MUST show at least one grade a week for all students in their grading book. 
  

• A minimum of nine marks must be evident in computing the nine-week average.
  

• The grade may be the result of tests, quizzes, projects, class participation, or homework.
  

In computing the final mark for the course, teachers shall observe these guidelines:

• The marks of the four marking periods are added to the final examination mark. The total is divided by five. This is the final mark unless specified differently by the department and with the approval of the administration.
  

• The marks of the two marking periods are doubled in semester-length courses. The final examination is added. The total is divided by five to arrive at the final mark.

Comments are to be used on the report cards as often as possible. Additional feedback in the form of specific comments from teachers to their students and parents is strongly encouraged, particularly in cases where students are not performing up to their potential.

A minimum final grade of 70 is required to receive course credit. A grade of 69 is not to be used for a marking period or a final grade.

Additional grading procedures: Incomplete, Medical, Minimum (and NE = Not Eligible at this time), Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.

Incomplete: Students may receive an "I," incomplete, as a grade if they have missed classes in the weeks just prior to the end of a marking period, thereby missing assignments or tests during that time.

Purpose: Students need a reasonable amount of time to complete work missed at the end of a marking period without jeopardizing their performance during the new marking period.

Procedure: If students are absent just prior to the end of the marking period and missed tests, quizzes and/or assignments, the teacher may record "I" (incomplete), with appropriate comments, on the report card for that quarter. The students then have no more than five weeks to make up the work not completed during that time. As soon as the students make up incomplete marks, the averages earned will be sent to parents/ guardians via the Interim Progress Report or other written format.

Assignments not made up, may be averaged in as zero for the work not completed to determine the average for the quarter which must be reported to the parents by the end of five weeks.

Medical: "M" may be used to denote medical reasons for a student’s absences which exceed 10 consecutive school days, resulting in the inability to compute a fair grade.

Purpose: In cases where there are long-term illnesses or accidents and students cannot complete the course requirements, an alternative means of grading may be necessary.

Procedure: Students with long-term illnesses (11 days or more) will be given "M," not a grade, only with the approval of the Principal or his/her designee. In June, the teacher will average the other marking period grades and substitute that average for the "M," except for seniors, whose substitution will be done at the middle of the 4th quarter for final rank and average.

If a fair grade can be computed prior to the end of the year, a true grade may be entered for the marking period(s) involved as soon as practicable.

Minimum Grade: Students in ninth grade who have earned a grade of less than 60 during the first three marking periods may receive a mark of NE (Not Eligible at this time). These students will then have an additional five weeks to raise the grade to 60, or receive their actual grade (no less than 40) during the first two marking periods, and a minimum grade of 50 during the third marking period. Sophomores who have earned a grade of less than 60 during the first marking period may also receive a mark of NE. These students will then have five weeks to raise the grade to 60 or receive the actual grade (no less than 40).

After the first marking period for sophomores and the third marking period for freshmen, these students will not receive NE's; they will instead receive the grade they earned in full-year courses. However, for freshmen and sophomores enrolled in a semester course, the NE policy is in effect during the first 10 weeks, and the actual grade is applied during the second 10 weeks. During all marking periods, juniors and seniors will receive the grade which was earned.

There may be some students who perform so poorly during the first marking period of a course that they cannot achieve success in the course at a later time no matter how much they improve in subsequent marking periods. In an effort to provide students with a chance to pass the course without compromising the intent of the grading policy, a minimum grade alternative for 9th and 10th grade students has been established. When the NE notation is used, the grade earned will be reported to the parent on the Interim Progress Report by the end of five weeks. NE is the only notation available for use on the report card reporting system.

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory - S/U: Students taking certain elective courses may choose to receive SATISFACTORY/UNSATISFACTORY (S/U) as opposed to numerical grades. ("Satisfactory" is equated with an average of 70 or better; "unsatisfactory", less than 70.)

Purpose: Certain courses chosen as electives can teach students effective skills and encourage broader base skill acquisition. Students who are interested in gaining these skills for personal use should be allowed to do so without having their average be adversely affected.

Procedure: If a student wishes to apply for SATISFACTORY/UNSATISFACTORY:

• the counselor shall be consulted to determine if the course is needed for a sequence; and
  

• the student shall file a REQUEST FOR SATISFACTORY/UNSATISFACTORY GRADE and obtain the approval of his/her parent, counselor, teacher, and department supervisor by the end of the 5th week of the course. 

If the approval is granted, the appropriate grade (S/U) will be assigned following each marking period and on the final exam, if applicable. Teacher will maintain numerical grades in their grade books but record S/U for quarterly marks and the final grade.

Courses in which S/U may be awarded will be noted in the 2004-05 Curriculum Handbook. (270KB PDF)

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