Note: The following provisions shall apply to students in the graduating classes of 2018 and 2019. Calculation Exclusions Unweighted and Weighted Grade System The District shall include in the calculation of class rank final grades earned in high school credit courses, unless excluded below. The calculation shall include failing grades. The calculation of class rank shall exclude grades earned in distance learning courses, including correspondence courses, unless the course is either assigned to the student by the District or offered as a course option along with traditional District courses. The calculation of class rank shall also exclude grades earned while at the District s alternative high school; in courses for which a pass/fail grade is assigned; and in high school credit courses taken in middle school, with the exception of Algebra II, Geometry, and Biology. For students in the graduating class of 2019, grades earned in courses for which credit is earned outside the regular school day or regular school year, as well as in dual credit courses taken anywhere other than a District high school, shall also be excluded. The exclusions regarding credit earned outside of the regular school year and for dual credit taken anywhere other than a District high school shall not apply to a student who attends the early college high school as long as the credit satisfies a high school equivalent course needed for graduation. If a student repeats a course for which he or she has already earned credit and received bonus points, if applicable, the repeated course, called a duplicate course, shall be considered local credit, and bonus points shall not be awarded. The District shall categorize eligible courses and calculate an unweighted grade point average (GPA) for purposes of college admission. This unweighted GPA shall be reported on a student s transcript. The unweighted GPA shall be calculated as follows: Final course grade x Credit unit = Quality points. Sum of all quality points Total credit units = College GPA. The District shall categorize and weight eligible courses in accordance with provisions of this policy and as designated in appropriate District publications solely for purposes of rank in class that shall also be reported on a student s transcript. DATE ISSUED: 11/2/2017 1 of 10 -X
Weighted GPA The District shall assign weights to final grades earned in eligible courses and calculate a weighted GPA, in accordance with the following: Sum of quality points Total credit units = Base rank GPA. For each weighted course, an add-on value of 0.25 shall be added to the base rank GPA for each 0.5 credit value assigned to a course. The 22-credit divisor is eliminated. A student who participates in TAKS-Alt, TAKS-M, STAAR-Alt, or who is exempt from state-mandated testing, or a student who graduates under the Minimum Program or foundation program without an endorsement, shall be ranked in equal standing. All failing grades shall not receive the add-on value. The District shall then convert the weighted numerical grade average to a GPA on a 4.0 scale. Weighted Numerical Grade Average GPA Conversion 100 4.000 99 3.9334 98 3.8668 97 3.8001 96 3.7334 95 3.6668 94 3.6001 93 3.5334 92 3.4667 91 3.4001 90 3.3334 89 3.2667 88 3.2001 87 3.1334 86 3.0667 DATE ISSUED: 11/2/2017 2 of 10 -X
Weighted Numerical Grade Average GPA Conversion 85 3.0001 84 2.9334 83 2.8667 82 2.8000 81 2.7334 80 2.6667 79 2.6000 78 2.5334 77 2.4667 76 2.4000 75 2.3334 74 2.2667 73 2.2000 72 2.1333 71 2.0667 70 2.0000 69 1.9000 68 1.8000 67 1.7000 66 1.6000 65 1.5000 64 1.4000 63 1.3000 62 1.2000 61 1.1000 60 1.0000 DATE ISSUED: 11/2/2017 3 of 10 -X
Weighted Numerical Grade Average GPA Conversion 59 0.9835 58 0.9669 57 0.9502 56 0.9335 55 0.9169 54 0.9002 53 0.8835 52 0.8668 51 0.8502 50 0.8335 49 0.8168 48 0.8002 47 0.7835 46 0.7668 45 0.7502 44 0.7335 43 0.7168 42 0.7001 41 0.6835 40 0.6668 39 0.6501 38 0.6335 37 0.6168 36 0.6001 35 0.5835 34 0.5668 DATE ISSUED: 11/2/2017 4 of 10 -X
Weighted Numerical Grade Average GPA Conversion 33 0.5501 32 0.5334 31 0.5168 30 0.5001 29 0.4834 28 0.4668 27 0.4501 26 0.4334 25 0.4168 24 0.4001 23 0.3834 22 0.3667 21 0.3501 20 0.3334 19 0.3167 18 0.3001 17 0.2834 16 0.2667 15 0.2501 14 0.2334 13 0.2167 12 0.2000 11 0.1834 10 0.1667 9 0.1500 8 0.1334 DATE ISSUED: 11/2/2017 5 of 10 -X
Weighted Numerical Grade Average GPA Conversion 7 0.1167 6 0.1000 5 0.0834 4 0.0667 3 0.0500 2 0.0333 1 0.0167 Note: The following provisions shall apply to students beginning with the graduating class of 2020. Calculation Exclusions The District shall include in the calculation of class rank semester grades earned in high school credit courses taken in grades 9 12 only, unless excluded below. The calculation shall include failing grades. The calculation of class rank shall exclude grades earned in distance learning courses, including correspondence courses, unless the course is assigned by the District or taken at the District high school. The calculation shall also exclude grades earned in courses for which pass/fail grades are assigned; at the District s alternative high school; in any course for which credit is earned outside the regular school day or regular school year; and through credit by examination, with or without prior instruction, including credit earned through credit recovery programs. A grade earned in a dual credit course taken anywhere other than a District high school shall also be excluded. The exclusions regarding credit earned outside of the regular school year and for dual credit taken anywhere other than a District high school shall not apply to a student who attends the early college high school as long as the credit satisfies a high school equivalent course needed for graduation. Duplicate courses, which are courses that a student repeats after having already earned credit, shall not be allowed and shall not be calculated into class rank calculations. DATE ISSUED: 11/2/2017 6 of 10 -X
Weighted Grade System Tier V Tier IV Tier III Tier II Tier I Weighted GPA The District shall weight courses within a five-tiered system. Annually, the District shall review all available courses and categorize them in accordance with the following provisions. Tier V courses shall be courses that access grade-level Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS); cover nationally recognized standards; and may be designed to earn college credit, industry certification or licensure, and the like. Advanced Placement (AP) courses, International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme courses, and dual credit courses shall be considered Tier V courses. All Tier V courses shall be designated in appropriate District publications. Tier IV courses shall be courses that access grade-level TEKS with an additional emphasis on advanced content and a focus on deeper understanding of the course material. Pre-AP courses, IB Middle Years Programme courses taken in grades 9 12, and other locally designated honors courses shall be considered Tier IV courses. All Tier IV courses shall be designated in appropriate District publications. Other eligible courses designed to address and access grade-level TEKS shall be considered Tier III courses and shall be designated in appropriate District publications. Courses for which grade-level TEKS are accessed through modified curriculum or content; courses for which no TEKS exist, such as teacher aide or library aide; and other courses counted for local credit only shall be considered Tier II courses and shall be designated in appropriate District publications. Courses for which grade-level TEKS are accessed only through prerequisite skills shall be considered Tier I courses and shall be designated appropriate District publications. The District shall assign weights to semester grades earned in eligible courses in accordance with the following: Category Rank Factor Weight Per Half Credit Value Tier V 0.40 Tier IV 0.25 Tier III 0.05 Tier II 0 Tier I 0 DATE ISSUED: 11/2/2017 7 of 10 -X
All failing grades shall not receive weight. The District shall then convert the weighted numerical grade to a GPA on a 4.0 scale. The GPA shall appear on a student s transcript and shall be used for purposes of college admission. Grade GPA 97 100 A+ 4.00 93 96 A 4.00 90 92 A- 3.70 87 89 B+ 3.30 83 86 B 3.00 80 82 B- 2.70 77 79 C+ 2.30 73 76 C 2.00 70 72 C- 1.70 67 69 D+ 1.30 65 66 D 1.00 Below 65 F 0 Note: The following provisions shall apply to all students, regardless of their graduating class. Transferred Grades When a student transfers grades for courses that would be eligible to be included in class rank calculations, and the District has accepted the credit, the District shall include the grades in the calculation of class rank. When a student transfers grades for courses that would be eligible to receive additional weight under the District s weighted grade systems, the District shall assign additional weight to the grades based on the categories and grade weight system used by the District. Letter grades shall be converted as follows: A+ = 100 DATE ISSUED: 11/2/2017 8 of 10 -X
A+ = 100 A = 95 A- = 90 B+ = 89 B = 85 B- = 80 C+ = 79 C = 77 C- = 75 D+ = 74 D = 72 D- = 70 (lowest passing grade) F = 69 0 If there is no designated numerical value for the letter grade of F, the F shall be converted to a numerical grade of 50. Local Graduation Honors Valedictorian and Salutatorian For the purpose of determining honors to be conferred during graduation activities, the District shall calculate class rank in accordance with this policy and administrative regulations by using grades available at the time of calculation at the end of the fifth sixweek grading period of the senior year. For students in grade 12 enrolled in a dual credit course, the spring midterm grade shall be used for this purpose. For the purpose of applications to institutions of higher education, the District shall also calculate class rank as required by state law. The District s eligibility criteria for local graduation honors shall apply only for local recognitions and shall not restrict class rank for the purpose of automatic admission under state law. [See (LEGAL)] The valedictorian and salutatorian shall be the eligible students with the highest and second-highest rank, respectively. To be eligible for this local graduation honor in the graduating class of 2018 or 2019, a student must have been continuously enrolled in the District high school as of the PEIMS snapshot date in October of the year the student is expected to graduate. Mid-term graduates shall be eligible for either of these honors. DATE ISSUED: 11/2/2017 9 of 10 -X
Beginning with the graduating class of 2020, the valedictorian and the salutatorian shall be the eligible students with the highest and second-highest rank, respectively. To be eligible for this local graduation honor, a student must: 1. Have been continuously enrolled in the same District high school for the four semesters immediately preceding graduation; 2. Be graduating after exactly eight semesters of enrollment in high school; and 3. Have completed the foundation program with the distinguished level of achievement. An early college high school student who is classified as a sophomore, junior, or senior and who transfers to a traditional comprehensive District high school or returns to the student s home high school shall not be eligible for valedictorian or salutatorian honors. Conduct Breaking Ties Permanent Honor Roll Highest-Ranking Graduate To qualify to give the valedictorian or salutatorian speech, a student shall not have engaged in any serious misconduct violation of the Student Code of Conduct that requires removal to a disciplinary alternative education program (DAEP), a three-day suspension, or expulsion during his or her last two semesters preceding graduation. In case of a tie in weighted GPAs after calculation to the tenthousandths place, the District shall recognize all students involved in the tie as sharing the honor and title. Permanent honor roll for each school shall be defined as either the students earning a GPA of 90.0 or better, with no rounding, or the top seven percent of the graduating class, whichever qualifies the greatest number of students based on District GPA rank. Beginning with the graduating class of 2020, permanent honor roll for each school shall be defined as the top ten percent of the graduating class based on District GPA rank. The local eligibility criteria for recognition as the valedictorian shall not affect recognition of the highest-ranking graduate for purposes of receiving the honor graduate certificate from the state of Texas. However, an early college high school student who is classified as a sophomore, junior, or senior and who transfers to a traditional comprehensive District high school or returns to the student s home high school shall not be eligible for consideration as the highest-ranking graduate for this purpose. DATE ISSUED: 11/2/2017 ADOPTED: 10 of 10 -X