BP 5121 — Grades/Evaluation of Student Achievement

Section: 5000 - Students
Status: Active

Adopted: 2017-11-14

Revised: 2021-12-16

Policy text

GRADES/EVALUATION OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

The Governing Board believes that grades serve a valuable instructional purpose by helping students and parents/guardians understand performance expectations and identifying the student’s areas of strength and those areas needing improvement. Parents/guardians and students have the right to receive course grades that represent an accurate evaluation of the student’s academic performance.

The Superintendent or designee shall establish a uniform grading system that shall be applied to all students in that course and grade level. Teachers shall inform students and parents/guardians how academic performance will be evaluated in the classroom at the beginning of each course.

A teacher shall base a student’s grades on the quality of the student’s academic work and their mastery of course content based on district standards. Students shall have the opportunity to demonstrate this mastery through a variety of methods, including, but not limited to, tests, projects, portfolios, and/or class discussion as appropriate.

Whenever a student misses an assignment or assessment due to an excused absence, they shall be given credit for subsequent satisfactory completion of the assignment or assessment.

Students in grades TK-5 may receive progress reports at the end of each grading period rather than letter grades.

In grades TK-5, report cards may include reports of student progress on specific academic standards applicable to the course and grade level.

When reporting student performance to parents/guardians, teachers may add narrative descriptions, observational notes, and/or samples of classroom work in order to better describe student progress in specific skills and subcategories of achievement.

A report card for a student with a disability may contain information about their disability, including whether that student received special education or related services, provided that the report card informs parents/guardians about their child’s progress or level of achievement in specific classes, course content, or curriculum. However, transcripts that may be used to inform postsecondary institutions or prospective employers of the student’s academic achievements shall not contain information disclosing the student’s disability.

A grade assigned by the teacher shall not be changed by the Board or the Superintendent except as provided by law, Board policy, or administrative regulation.

The Superintendent or designee shall determine the methodology to be used in calculating students’ grade point average (GPA), including the courses to be included within the GPA and whether extra grade weighting shall be applied to Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, honors, and/or concurrent postsecondary courses.