CALCULATION 9 PRIOR TO THE 2014 15 SCHOOL YEAR 9 IN THE 2014 15 SCHOOL YEAR AND THEREAFTER EXCLUSIONS 9 PRIOR TO THE 2014 15 SCHOOL YEAR SYSTEM POINT SCALE For students who entered grade 9 prior to the 2014 15 school year, the District shall include in the calculation of class rank only grades earned for high school credit in the following subjects: English, mathematics, science, social studies, and languages other than English. For students who entered grade 9 in the 2014 15 school year and thereafter, the District shall calculate class rank using courses from the foundation graduation plan as outlined in the course guide. Class rank shall be calculated after each semester and at the end of the year for students in grades 10 12. The calculation of class rank shall exclude the grades earned in correspondence courses; summer school; credit by examination, with or without prior instruction; local credit courses; or credit recovery courses. For students who entered grade 9 prior to the 2014 15 school year, the following weighted grade scale and course classification information shall be applicable. In accordance with provisions of this policy, the District shall categorize and weight eligible courses as Advanced Placement (AP), dual credit, Pre-AP, and Regular. Eligible courses and the assigned weights shall be listed in the course guide. The District shall convert semester grades to grade points and shall calculate a weighted grade point average (GPA) in accordance with the following chart: REGULAR PRE- ADVANCED ADVANCED 90 100 4.0 5.0 4.5 5.5 5.0 6.0 80 89 3.0 3.9 3.5 4.4 4.0 4.9 70 79 2.0 2.9 2.5 3.4 3.0 3.9 Below 70 0.0 0.0 0.0 9 IN THE 2014 15 SCHOOL YEAR AND THEREAFTER For students who entered grade 9 in the 2014 15 school year and thereafter, the following weighted grade scale and course classification information shall be applicable. DATE ISSUED: 8/7/2015 1 of 5
POINT SCALE The District shall convert semester grades to grade points and shall calculate a weighted GPA in accordance with the following chart: AP/ DUAL CREDIT PRE-AP ALL OTHER COURSES 100 6.0 5.0 4.0 99 5.9 4.9 3.9 98 5.8 4.8 3.8 97 5.7 4.7 3.7 96 5.6 4.6 3.6 95 5.5 4.5 3.5 94 5.4 4.4 3.4 93 5.3 4.3 3.3 92 5.2 4.2 3.2 91 5.1 4.1 3.1 90 5.0 4.0 3.0 89 4.9 3.9 2.9 88 4.8 3.8 2.8 87 4.7 3.7 2.7 86 4.6 3.6 2.6 85 4.5 3.5 2.5 84 4.4 3.4 2.4 83 4.3 3.3 2.3 82 4.2 3.2 2.2 81 4.1 3.1 2.1 80 4.0 3.0 2.0 79 3.9 2.9 1.9 78 3.8 2.8 1.8 DATE ISSUED: 8/7/2015 2 of 5
AP/ DUAL CREDIT PRE-AP ALL OTHER COURSES 77 3.7 2.7 1.7 76 3.6 2.6 1.6 75 3.5 2.5 2.5 74 3.4 2.4 1.4 73 3.3 2.3 1.3 72 3.2 2.2 1.2 71 3.1 2.1 1.1 70 3.0 2.0 1.0 69 and below 0.0 0.0 0.0 TRANSFERRED S TRANSFER CREDIT LOCAL GRADUATION HONORS When a student transfers grades for properly documented courses, the District shall assign weight to those grades based on the categories and grade weight system used by the District if the same courses are offered to the same class of students in the District. A student who transfers into the District high school shall receive similar credits counted toward his or her GPA according to the list of courses offered in the District and the grade point scale used for credit earned in the District. Students transferring into the District shall receive the numerical grade that was earned in courses at another school. Letter grades shall be recorded as follows: Conversion Chart A+ = 98 B+ = 88 C+ = 79 D+ = 74 A = 95 B = 85 C = 77 D = 72 A- = 92 B- = 82 C- = 75 D- = 70 F = 60 If the transfer grade is listed as pass or fail, pass shall be recorded as 80 percent, and fail shall be recorded as 60 percent. For the purpose of determining honors to be conferred during graduation activities, the District shall calculate class rank using grades available at the time of calculation at the end of the fifth sixweek grading period of the senior year. The average of the fourth DATE ISSUED: 8/7/2015 3 of 5
and fifth six-week grades shall be used as the semester grade 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)] VALEDICTORIAN AND SALUTATORIAN BREAKING TIES HONOR GRADUATES TOP TEN PERCENT The valedictorian and salutatorian shall be the eligible students with the highest and second highest rank, respectively. To be eligible for such recognition, a student must: 1. Have been continuously enrolled in the District high school for the four semesters immediately preceding graduation; and 2. Have completed the Recommended Program, the Advanced/Distinguished Achievement Program, or the foundation program with the distinguished level of achievement. In case of a tie in weighted GPAs, the District shall apply the following methods, in this order, to determine recognition as valedictorian or salutatorian: 1. Compute the weighted GPA to a sufficient number of decimal places until the tie is broken. 2. Compare the number of weighted courses taken by each student involved in the tie. 3. Calculate the weighted GPA using only weighted courses taken by each student involved in the tie. If the tie is not broken after applying these methods, the District shall recognize all students involved in the tie as sharing the honor and title. Honor graduates shall be students who: 1. Have been continuously enrolled in District schools during the four semesters immediately preceding graduation; 2. Achieved a GPA of 4.25 or above; and 3. Completed the Recommended Program, the Advanced/Distinguished Achievement Program, or the foundation program with the distinguished level of achievement. All students whose GPAs comprise the top ten percent of the graduating class and qualify for automatic admission under DATE ISSUED: 8/7/2015 4 of 5
Education Code 51.803 shall be recognized. Eligibility standards required for the local procedure for determining valedictorian and salutatorian (or other local honor positions) shall not apply to the procedure for determining the top ten percent. The GPA shall be reported on the student s transcript as required by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and made available, when requested by the student, in accordance with the application deadline. [See (LEGAL)] EARLY GRADUATES HIGHEST-RANKING GRADUATE To be eligible to graduate early, a student shall complete all coursework and state-mandated assessments required of the ninth-grade class in which he or she begins high school and shall notify the principal of his or her intent to graduate early. A student who completes the high school program requirements in fewer than four years shall be ranked in the class with which he or she actually graduates. Early graduates shall be eligible for honors positions including valedictorian and salutatorian. The student meeting the local eligibility criteria for recognition as the valedictorian shall also be considered the highest-ranking graduate for purposes of receiving the honor graduate certificate from the state of Texas. DATE ISSUED: 8/7/2015 ADOPTED: 5 of 5