The Board of Trustees believes that grades serve a valuable instructional purpose by helping students and parents/guardians understand performance expectations and identifying the student's areas of strength and those areas needing improvement. Parents/guardians and students have the right to receive course grades that represent an accurate evaluation of the student's academic performance.
(cf. 5020 - Parent Rights and Responsibilities)
(cf. 5125.2 - Withholding Grades, Diploma or Transcripts)
The Superintendent or designee shall establish a uniform grading system that shall be applied to all students in that course and grade level. Teachers shall inform students and parents/guardians how academic performance will be evaluated in the classroom.
(cf. 0410 - Nondiscrimination in District Programs and Activities)
A teacher shall base a student's grades solely on the quality of the student's academic work and his/her mastery of course content based on district standards. Students shall have the opportunity to demonstrate this mastery through a variety of methods, including, but not limited to, tests, projects, portfolios, and/or class discussion as appropriate. Other elements that are not a direct measure of knowledge and understanding of course content, such as attendance, effort, student conduct, and work habits, shall not be factored into the academic grade but may be reported separately.
(cf. 6011 - Academic Standards)
(cf. 6162.5 - Student Assessment)
Whenever a student misses an assignment or assessment due to either an excused or unexcused absence, he/she shall be given full credit for subsequent satisfactory completion of the assignment or assessment.
(cf. 6154 - Homework/Makeup Work)
A teacher may assign a failing grade to a student who has seven or more unexcused absences during the grading period.
(cf. 5113 - Absences and Excuses)
(cf. 5113.1 - Chronic Absence and Truancy)
Students in grades K-3 shall receive progress reports at the end of each grading period rather than letter grades.
At all grade levels, report cards may include reports of student progress on specific academic standards applicable to the course and grade level.
When reporting student performance to parents/guardians, teachers may add narrative descriptions, observational notes, and/or samples of classroom work in order to better describe student progress in specific skills and subcategories of achievement.
A report card for a student with a disability may contain information about his/her disability, including whether that student received special education or related services, provided that the report card informs parents/guardians about their child's progress or level of achievement in specific classes, course content, or curriculum. However, transcripts that may be used to inform postsecondary institutions or prospective employers of the student's academic achievements shall not contain information disclosing the student's disability.
(cf. 5125 - Student Records)
(cf. 6159 - Individualized Education Program)
(cf. 6164.6 - Identification and Education Under Section 504)
A grade assigned by the teacher shall not be changed by the Board or the Superintendent except as provided by law, Board policy, or administrative regulation. (Education Code 49066)
(cf. 5125.3 - Challenging Student Records)
The Superintendent or designee shall determine the methodology to be used in calculating students' grade point average (GPA), including the courses to be included within the GPA and whether extra grade weighting shall be applied to Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, honors, and/or concurrent postsecondary courses.
(cf. 6141.4 - International Baccalaureate Program)
(cf. 6141.5 - Advanced Placement)
(cf. 6172 - Gifted and Talented Student Program)
(cf. 6172.1 - Concurrent Enrollment in College Classes)
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
48070 Promotion and retention
48205 Excused absences
48800-48802 Enrollment of gifted students in community college
48904-48904.3 Withholding grades, diplomas, or transcripts
49066 Grades; finalization; physical education class
49067 Mandated regulations regarding student's achievement
49069.5 Students in foster care, grades and credits
51242 Exemption from physical education based on participation in interscholastic athletics
69432.9 Cal Grant program; notification of grade point average
76000-76002 Enrollment in community college
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5
10060 Criteria for reporting physical education achievement, high schools
30008 Definition of high school grade point average for student aid eligibility
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 20
1232g Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, TITLE 34
99.1-99.67 Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
COURT DECISIONS
Owasso Independent School District v. Falvo, (2002) 534 U.S. 426
Las Virgenes Educators Association v. Las Virgenes Unified School District, (2001) 86 Cal.App.4th 1
Swany v. San Ramon Valley Unified School District, (1989) 720 F.Supp. 764
Johnson v. Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education, (1986) 179 Cal.App.3d 593
Management Resources:
CSBA PUBLICATIONS
Research-Supported Strategies to Improve the Accuracy and Fairness of Grades, Governance Brief, July 2016
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS CORRESPONDENCE
Report Cards and Transcripts for Students with Disabilities, October 17, 2008
WEB SITESCSBA: http://www.csba.org
California Department of Education: http://www.cde.ca.gov
California Student Aid Commission: http://www.csac.ca.gov
U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr
Policy AROMAS-SAN JUAN UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
adopted: August 24, 2016 San Juan Bautista, California