Grading and Reporting System
Fulton County Schools is committed to consistent grading practices where grades are an accurate reflection of student learning. Refer to Appendix A for the District’s Grading Commitments.
Grading Categories
Student grades will be determined by using the following categories:
- Major: An assignment or assessment that is cumulative in nature that measures learning targets from multiple standards/skills.
- Minor: An assignment or assessment that measures an individual learning target, standard, or subset of learning targets/standards/skills within a unit.
- Practice: Daily assignments, observations, and/or engagement activities given in class or for homework to build pre-requisite skills, measure progress towards mastery of a learning target or standard, enrich, and/or remediate skills.
Grading Weights
Elementary (K-5)
-
- Majors: 45%
- Minors: 40%
- Practice[1]:15%
Middle (6-8)
High (9-12)
In accordance with State Board Rule, students taking an End-of-Course (EOC) assessment, must have the EOC count as a weighted percentage of the student’s total grade as specified by State Board Rule. If the state continues to use the 20% weight, the 2nd-semester of the course should reflect the following grade weights subject to State Board Rule. See the Final Exams section for more information.
EOC Courses 2nd semester
-
- EOC:20%
- Majors2 : 40%
- Minors: 30%
- Practice2: 10%
The following models for grading should not be used to determine a student’s grade:
- Bell curve
- Bonus points
- Multipliers
Grading Scale
Prekindergarten
PreK students’ progress will be reported through defined criteria provided by Bright from the Start. PreK students are assessed using the Work Sampling Online (WSO) system. Documentation includes notes, matrices, and photos. Teachers have conferences with parents/guardians at the end of each semester.
Kindergarten – 2nd Grade
Fulton County Schools will grade students in K-2nd with the following scale:
EM Exceeding Mastery 90-100
M Mastering 80-89
AM Approaching Mastery 70-79
NYM Not Yet Demonstrating Mastery 69 and Below
NG No Grade
- Exceeding Mastery: The student is flexible in their ability to apply and adapt their knowledge of the current standards introduced in this course. The student consistently and independently demonstrates mastery in the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level/course of learning, as specified in the standards. (EM)
- Mastering: The student is proficient and/or skilled in the current standards introduced in this course. The student demonstrates a strong understanding of the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level/course of learning, as specified in the standards. (M)
- Approaching Mastery: The student displays partial mastery but needs additional academic support to address all current standards introduced in this course. The student is developing an understanding of the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level/course of learning, as specified in the standards. (AM)
- Not Yet Demonstrating Mastery: The student needs substantial academic support to address the current standards introduced in this course. The student has not yet demonstrated an understanding of the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level/course of learning, as specified in the standards. (NYM)
Report Cards and Progress Reports will show Exceeding Mastery, Mastering, Approaching Mastery, Not Yet Demonstrating Mastery, or NG. Teachers will use percentages in the grade book for each assessment/assignment/task which will convert at the end of each grading period to an overall mastery level.
Primary & Secondary Grades (3rd -12th)
Fulton County Schools will grade students in grades 3rd-12th using a 100-point grading scale as follows:
A 90 and Above
B 80-89
C 70-79
F Below 70
W/(1-100) Withdrawn
P/F Pass or Fail
NG No grade
I Incomplete
CR Credit
NC Non-Credit
Based on State Board Rule 160-4-2.13., the minimum passing score is a 70.
Grades are to be rounded to the next whole number when equal to 0.5 or greater.
Based on Continuous Achievement, students in a higher-level course will follow the grade weights and grading scale based on the course in which the student is enrolled.
Academic Integrity
Violations of policy JCD Student Academic Integrity will be handled as violations of the student code of conduct and addressed via the progressive discipline guidelines in the Student Handbook.
Honor Points
Students enrolled in Advanced Placement, Honors, International Baccalaureate, Dual Enrollment, and/or Self Pay Dual Credit courses receive an additional seven points to be added to a passing final grade.
Grading Assignments, Assessments, and Tasks
All assignments, assessments, and/or tasks should be aligned to domains, standards, learning targets, or a set of standards to be used in calculating a student’s grade.
Report Cards and Progress Reports
All schools will provide students and parents/guardians with a progress report that measures their academic progress on a 4.5-week basis throughout the school year. This can be done electronically or by sending a paper copy home.
At the end of each semester, students will be issued a formal report card to represent the student’s final semester average. A printed copy of the report card should be sent home.
At each 9-week reporting period, students’ grades should reflect the following grade minimums:
K-12
- All students in grades K-12 will receive, at a minimum, eight grades per subject within 9 weeks.
- Assignments, assessments, and/or tasks should be aligned to the prioritized and supporting standards for the course. AP or IB will follow those set of standards for that course.
- Multiple practice opportunities should be provided to students before and after assessments to ensure student mastery.
- At a minimum, two grades should be major
- At a minimum, three grades should be minor
- At a minimum, three grades should be practice
- For K-5 classes that only meet once or twice a week (Art, Physical Education, Health, Music, etc.), students will receive a minimum of four opportunities to demonstrate mastery on standards within each 9 weeks.
- At a minimum, one grade should be major
- At a minimum, one grade should be minor
- At a minimum, two grades should be practice
- For K-5 Science and Social Studies, students will receive a minimum of five opportunities to demonstrate mastery on standards within each 9 weeks.
- At a minimum, 1 grade should be major
- At a minimum, 2 grades should be minor
- At a minimum, 2 grades should be practice
- For 6-8 courses that are only 9 weeks long, students will receive a minimum of six opportunities to demonstrate mastery on standards within each 9 weeks.
- At a minimum, two grades should be major
- At a minimum, two grades should be minor
- At a minimum, two grades
Non-Academic Skills
Non-Academic Skills- Feedback provided to students and/or parents/ guardians in areas beyond academic mastery.
Non-academic skills will be reported in a separate section from academic performance. Feedback will be given to students and parents/guardians every 9 weeks on the progress report/report card for K-12 students.
Fulton County Schools will use the following key to report non-academic skills critical to student success.
- Consistently demonstrates
- Often demonstrates
- Sometimes demonstrates
- Rarely demonstrates
K-2
- Self-Direction: The student follows directions and procedures, can work independently, and/or acts safely.
- Collaboration: The student is considerate of others, asks for help when needs it, and/or offers to help others.
- Problem Solving: The student can describe a problem, finds more than one way to solve a problem, and is aware that all actions have outcomes.
- Work Habits: The student follows directions, participates in class, and/or completes tasks or assignments.
3–5
- Self-Direction: The student follows directions and procedures, works with focus, and/or resists distractions.
- Collaboration: The student works well with others, asks for help when needs it, and/or demonstrates appropriate social interactions.
- Problem Solving: The student can describe a problem, finds more than one way to solve a problem, and/or is aware that all actions have outcomes.
- Work Habits: The student is organized, participates in class, and/or stays on task.
6-12
- Self-Direction: The student follows directions and procedures, sustains attention during class, and/or resists distractions.
- Collaboration: The student works well with others, asks for help when needs it, and/or shares ideas.
- Problem Solving: The student can describe a problem, finds more than one way to solve a problem, and/or is aware that all actions have outcomes.
- Work Habits: The student comes prepared for class, manages time and materials, and/or stays on task.
Final Exams
The district will not require the administration of a final exam or midterm in any course or grade level except when a course includes a state-mandated end-of-course test. Final exams and/or midterms, if administered, can only count as one of the major assessments of the course and cannot have a separate weight. [When a course includes a state-mandated, end-of-course test, the student’s grade in the 2nd semester of that course will reflect the required percentage weight for that assessment based on State Board Rule in a separate category.
If a teacher chooses to administer a comprehensive final exam, the following provisions must be met:
- The final exam may only count as one of the major assessments in the course (minimum 8 per year)
- Exams must be designed to be completed within the normal allotted class period as determined by the school bell schedule
- If a final or midterm is given, multipliers may not be applied.
Recovery
Recovery: Administered throughout a unit to students who have failed to demonstrate mastery of the standards. Recovery should cover the standards that the student has not mastered.
Teachers should provide opportunities for each student K-12 to continue learning material that has not yet been mastered even if the student’s grade is not replaced.
- Students in K-12 should be afforded the opportunity to recover all major assessments if they score below a 75% on the assessment.
- Students are limited to one recovery attempt per major assessment that meets the threshold for recovery.
- Recovery of a major assessment should occur before the next major is given.
- Students are eligible to earn a replacement grade on a recovery that is no higher than 75%.
- If a student’s recovery is below the original score, the original score should stand in the grade book.
- Before recovery, the teacher should work with the student to complete missing work and/or ensure delivery of the content through reteaching and relearning.
- The original score should be noted in the comment section of the grade book if a student recovers a major assessment.
Missing/Late Work
- Schools and teachers will make a good faith effort to have structures in place to clear late/missing assignments before grades are impacted.
- When a student has missed instruction, the teacher should work with the student to ensure the delivery of content before the student is assessed.
- Should there be an extenuating circumstance for a prolonged absence and/or missing assignments/assessments and/or tasks, the teacher and student will create an appropriate plan to deliver content and assess student learning.
Student Misses Work Due to Absence (Excused/Unexcused)
- Upon return to school, students will have an equal number of days as they were absent to complete any late/missing assignment, assessment, and/or task(s) for full credit.
- After the deadline of an equal number of days a student was absent, teachers may begin deducting points from a late/missing assignment, assessment, and/or task(s) (maximum 25% deduction).
- If a student fails to turn in a late/missing assignment, assessment, and/or task(s), then a zero may be entered in the grade book.
Student Present but Fails to Turn in Assignment, Assessment, and/or Task(s)
- Teachers may begin deducting points from a late/missing assignment, assessment, and/or task(s) (maximum 25% deduction).
- If a student fails to turn in a late/missing assignment, assessment, and/or task(s), then a zero may be entered in the grade book.
Incompletes
At the conclusion of a semester, with the approval of the principal, teachers may give students who are absent for extended periods of time an "Incomplete" grade (I). The student will be given the opportunity to make up the work and have the Incomplete grade changed to a numerical grade.
- All Incompletes should be cleared within 30 school days of the start of the next semester.
- If the Incomplete was given in the Spring semester, the student should clear the Incomplete during Summer School
- Exceptions can be made for students with a 504, IEP, or other health plans
- Students can also clear Incompletes during a school-provided intersession, summer school, or through another school/district-provided credit recovery strategy.
- Students must clear all Incompletes for credit-bearing courses or courses required for graduation.
- For students taking noncredit-bearing courses, students are only required to clear Incompletes for reading and math.
- Failure to clear the Incomplete in one of these opportunities can result in the grade reverting to a withdrawal failure (WF).
6-12 Syllabus and Summer School
- At the beginning of each course, teachers will provide students and parent(s)/guardian(s) a syllabus containing the general outline of the course and how the students will be graded. A copy of the syllabus will be kept by the principal or designee and be available upon parental request.
- Summer projects will not be required except for students enrolled in Honors, Advanced Placement, and International Baccalaureate courses. Any summer assignments completed by students should receive feedback. Any required resources must be provided by the school.
Specialized Group Reporting
Special Education Reporting
- Special education students receive grades on the general