The Superintendent or designee shall inform teachers of the district's policy regarding grading, including expectations that grades shall be based on factors that directly measure students' knowledge and skills in the content area.
Report cards displaying students' grades in each subject or course shall be distributed to parents/guardians at the end of each grading period. Parents/guardians shall be offered an opportunity to meet with their child's teacher(s) to discuss the grades and strategies to improve their child's performance.
(cf. 6020 - Parent Involvement)
Whenever it becomes evident to a teacher that a student is in danger of failing a course, the teacher shall arrange a conference with the student's parent/guardian or send the parent/guardian a written report. (Education Code 49067)
(cf. 5123 - Promotion/Acceleration/Retention)
For each student in grades 9-12, the Superintendent or designee shall maintain a transcript recording the courses taken, the term that each course was taken, credits earned, final grades, and date of graduation.
(cf. 5125 - Student Records)
(cf. 6146.1 - High School Graduation Requirements)
Grades for Academic Performance
For grades K-5, students' level of progress for each grading period shall be reported as follows:
4. Demonstrates advanced understanding
3. Consistently demonstrates understanding
2. Steady progress (Trimester 1 and 2) or Incomplete/Inconsistent (Trimester 3)
1. Minimal understanding
X. Not assessed during this reporting period
For grades 6-12, grades for academic performance shall be reported for each grading period as follows:
A. (90-100%) Outstanding Achievement 4.0 grade points
B. (80-89%) Above Average Achievement 3.0 grade points
C. (70-79%) Average Achievement 2.0 grade points
D. (60-69%) Below Average Achievement 1.0 grade points
F. (0-59%) Little or No Achievement 0 grade points
I. Incomplete 0 grade points
An Incomplete shall be given only when a student's work is not finished by the end of the grading period because of illness or other excused absence. If not made up within six weeks, the Incomplete shall become an F.
Because of the more rigorous nature of Advanced Placement (AP) and honors courses, students receiving a grade of A, B, or C beginning in 10th grade in UC approved AP/honors courses shall receive extra grade weighting as follows:
A. (90-100%) Outstanding Achievement 5.0 grade points
B. (80-89%) Above Average Achievement 4.0 grade points
C. (70-79%) Average Achievement 3.0 grade points
The extra grade weighting does not apply to courses taken out of district. However, students may take college courses for their own enrichment and submit college transcripts in their college application materials.
Students should be advised that the University of California and California State University only apply extra grade weighting for eight semesters (40 credits) beginning in 10th grade of approved AP and honors courses.
Because Mission Early College High School (MECHS) is a dual enrollment program, MECHS students will receive extra grade weighting for all approved college courses.
Grades for Physical Education
No grade of a student participating in a physical education class may be adversely affected due to the fact that the student, because of circumstances beyond his/her control, does not wear standardized physical education apparel. (Education Code 49066)
(cf. 6142.7 - Physical Education and Activity)
Student performance in high school physical education courses shall be based upon evaluation of the student's individual progress, attainment of goals in each instructional area, tests designed to determine skill and knowledge, and physical performance tests. (5 CCR 10060)
Grades for College Courses
When the district has approved a student to receive district credit for coursework completed at a community college or four-year college, he/she shall receive the same letter grade as is granted by the college.
Pass/Fail Grading
The Superintendent or designee may identify courses or programs for which students may, with parent/guardian permission, elect to earn a Pass or Fail grade instead of a letter grade.
Students who receive a Pass grade shall acquire the appropriate semester units of credit for the course. The grade shall not be counted in determining class rank, honors list, or membership in the California Scholarship Federation. Students who receive a Fail grade shall not receive credit for taking the course.
Repeating Classes
With the approval of the principal or designee, a student may repeat a course in order to raise his/her grade. Both grades received shall be entered on the student's transcript, but the student shall receive credit only once for taking the course. The highest grade received shall be used in determining the student's overall grade point average (GPA).
Withdrawal from Classes
A student who drops a course during the first six weeks of the grading period may do so without any entry on his/her permanent record card. A student who drops a course after the first six weeks of the grading period shall receive an F grade on his/her permanent record, unless otherwise decided by the principal or designee because of extenuating circumstances.
Effect of Absences on Grades
Teachers who choose to withhold class credit because of excessive unexcused absences shall so inform students and parents/guardians of such a possibility at the beginning of the school year or semester. When a student reaches the number of unexcused absences defined as excessive in Board policy, the student and parent/guardian shall again be notified of the district's policy regarding excessive unexcused absences.
(cf. 5113 - Absences and Excuses)
(cf. 5113.1 - Chronic Absence and Truancy)
The student and parent/guardian shall have a reasonable opportunity to explain the absences. (Education Code 49067)
If a student receives a failing grade because of excessive unexcused absences, the student's record shall specify that the grade was assigned because of excessive unexcused absences. (Education Code 49067)
Grades for a student in foster care shall not be lowered if the student is absent for any reason specified in Education Code 49069.5.
(cf. 6173.1 - Education for Foster Youth)
Grade Point Average
The Superintendent or designee shall calculate each student's GPA using the grade point assigned to each letter grade in accordance with the scale described in the section "Grades for Academic Performance" above. The grade points for all applicable coursework shall be totaled and divided by the number of courses completed. Pass/Fail grades shall not be included in the determination of a student's GPA.
(cf. 5126 - Awards for Achievement)
(cf. 6145 - Extracurricular and Cocurricular Activities)
When plus and minus designations are added to letter grades, they shall not be considered in determining GPA.
Each academic year, the Superintendent or designee shall provide to the Student Aid Commission the GPA of all district students in grade 12, except for students who have opted out or are permitted by the rules of the Student Aid Commission to provide test scores in lieu of the GPA. (Education Code 69432.9)
Regulation SANTA CLARA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
approved: February 13, 2014 Santa Clara, California
revised: October 27, 2016
revised: January 25, 2018
revised: October 10, 2019