In June 2011, the School Board approved its new grading policy. The purpose of the grading policy was to establish fair and consistent standards for evaluating and reporting student achievement that are relevant for instructional purposes and understandable for students and parents. A grading policy was needed to balance autonomy with common standards so that grading practices are consistent across the district. Additionally, the grading policy aligns City Schools with national grading systems (letter grades on a 4.0 scale) that are recognized and used by colleges and universities.
A change to the secondary GPA calculation was also approved by the Board. Previous to the Board’s approval, grades for secondary students were numerical, which required conversion of GPA’s for students applying to most colleges and universities. The new system is a letter (+/-) based scale and incorporates a scale that rewards high achievement (A+) in all courses, and provides increased weight for students who complete Honors, Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses. The weighted GPA allows students in rigorous courses to improve their overall GPA and potentially makes them more competitive for entrance into selective colleges and universities.
GRADING SCALE
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