Grading Guides

How Assignments are Weighted

In elementary school, the way Process and Product assignments count toward a student’s grade depends on the subject. Process assignments reflect practice and learning along the way, while Product assignments show what a student knows after instruction.

In math, reading/speaking/listening, science, social studies, and writing/language, Process assignments make up 40% of the grade and Product assignments make up 60%.

In art and health, each category counts for 50%.

In instrumental music, music, and physical education, Process assignments make up 70% of the grade and Product assignments make up 30%.

Relearning and Reassessment

When a student earns below 70% on a Product assignment, the teacher will provide an opportunity for reteaching and reassessment. The student must complete the original assignment and participate in reteaching before reassessing. The higher of the two scores will be recorded.

Minimum Assignment Score

Elementary assignments have a minimum value of 50% of the available points.

If a student earns below 50%, HAC will display LT50, and the student's actual score will be included in a comment. Work that is never submitted will be marked NTI (Not Turned In) and will calculate as 50%.

A 50% minimum does not mean the student earned a passing grade. It is intended to prevent one very low or missing assignment from making it mathematically difficult for an elementary student to recover academically.

Late Work

Students may turn in late assignments within two weeks of the original due date without a penalty. After two weeks, a deduction of no more than 10% may be applied.

If a student develops a pattern of late or missing work, the teacher will contact the family so the school and family can work together to support the student.

Homework

Elementary homework is intended to reinforce learning and provide meaningful practice. Homework is not graded, although teachers may provide feedback.

Families are encouraged to help students develop positive homework routines, but parents and guardians are not expected to provide formal instruction at home.

How Grades are Calculated

Most middle school courses use two grading categories:

1. Product – 70%: Assignments and assessments that show what a student has learned, such as tests, quizzes, projects, performance tasks, and presentations.
2. Process – 30%: Assignments completed during learning, such as daily work, progress checks, and reflections.

Activity-based Physical Education courses use 30% Product and 70% Process.

Relearning and Reassessment

Students will receive at least two opportunities each marking period to reassess Product assignments, as determined by the teacher.

In addition, whenever a student scores below 50% on a Product assignment, the student will be given an opportunity to relearn the material and reassess, even if the student's other reassessment opportunities have already been used.

Students must complete the original assignment and required relearning activities before reassessing. The higher score is recorded.

If, after a good-faith effort at relearning and reassessment, the student's score is still below 50%, a 50% will be recorded. If the student does not participate in relearning or reassessment, the original grade remains, even if it is below 50%.

Process Assignments and Missing Work

There is no 50% minimum for Process assignments.

If a student does not submit Process work, the student will first have an opportunity to complete it. If the work is still not completed, a zero may remain.

Homework

Homework should reinforce classroom learning and have a clear instructional purpose. It will not be assigned as a disciplinary consequence.

Take-home tests and major projects will not be assigned immediately before winter or spring break with a due date immediately after the break.

How Final Grades are Determined

Each marking period grade is converted to quality points:

A = 4 | B = 3 | C = 2 | D = 1 | E = 0

The quality points from all four marking periods are averaged to determine the final course grade. To pass a course, a student must earn at least three total quality points, which equals an average of 0.75 quality points across the four marking periods.

How Marking Period Grades are Calculated

High school grades include three categories:

1. Product Assignments – 60–70%: Assignments that demonstrate learning, such as tests, quizzes, projects, performance tasks, and presentations.
2. Process Assignments – 20–30%: Assignments completed during learning, such as daily assignments, progress checks, and reflections.
3. Quarterly Assessment – 10%: A common assessment given each marking period.

Activity-based Physical Education courses use 20% Product, 70% Process, and 10% Quarterly Assessment.

50% Marking Period Grading Floor

For year-long courses, a minimum marking period grade of 50% applies during Marking Periods 1 and 2. During Marking Periods 3 and 4, students receive the grade they earn, even when it is below 50%.

For semester courses, the 50% minimum applies only to the first marking period of the semester course.

Relearning and Reassessment

Students will have at least two reassessment opportunities each marking period.

Before reassessing, students must complete the original assessment or assignment and participate in required relearning activities. Teachers determine when and how reassessment takes place.

The higher of the original score and reassessment score will be recorded. The two scores are not averaged together.

Late Work and Homework

Teachers will clearly communicate assignment due dates and final deadlines. Late-work penalties should not discourage students from completing their work.

Long-term assignments submitted after the due date but before the established final deadline may receive a penalty of up to 10%.

Homework will have a clear instructional purpose and will not be assigned as a disciplinary consequence. Take-home tests and major projects will not be assigned immediately before winter or spring break for submission immediately after the break.

Academic Dishonesty

Academic dishonesty has progressive academic consequences:

1. First offense: The student initially receives a zero and may redo the work. The reassessed score receives a 25% deduction.
2. Second offense: The student initially receives a zero and may redo the work. The reassessed score receives a 50% deduction.
3. Third offense: The zero remains, and the student does not have an opportunity to redo the assignment.

Academic dishonesty may also result in disciplinary consequences under the CCPS Student Code of Conduct.