Richland County School District One

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GRADING PROCEDURES MANUAL
Grading Procedures

	Schedule for Reporting Grades
	Assessment
	Marking Period Grades
	Final Grades
	Testing
	Non-Standard Grades
	Misbehavior and Grades
	Homework and Out of Class Assignments
	Make-up Work
	Teacher Judgement
	Transfers

Schedule for Reporting Grades

Middle School and High School (A/B Block Schedule) *
1st Interim Report (4-1/2 Weeks)	1st Marking Period (9 Weeks)	2nd Interim Report (13-1/2 Weeks)	2nd Marking Period (18 Weeks)	3rd Interim Report (22-1/2 Weeks)	3rd Marking Period (27 Weeks)	4th Interim Report (31-1/2 Weeks)	Final Marking Period (36 Weeks)
Interim Report	Report Card	Interim Report	Report Card	Interim Report	Report Card	Interim Report	Report Card
Required for All Students	Required for All Students	Required for All Students	Required for All Students	Required for All Students	Required for All Students	Required for All Students	Required for All Students

*Actual dates can be found on the district’s calendar.

Semester Courses
1st Interim Report (4-1/2 Weeks)	1st Marking Period (9 Weeks)	2nd Interim Report (13-1/2 Weeks)	2nd Marking Period (18 Weeks)
Interim Report	Report Card	Interim Report	Report Card
Required for All Students	Required for All Students	Required for All Students	Required for All Students

One-Half Credit Courses
1st Interim Report (4-1/2 Weeks)	Final Marking Period (9 Weeks)
Interim Report	Report Card
Required for All Students	Required for All Students

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Assessment

A teacher's systematic assessment of a student's learning throughout the marking period, the semester, or the year will determine the student's grade. Examples of assessments are tests, classroom participation (group work, class work, discussion), performances, written compositions, daily grades, projects, lab demonstrations, recitals, portfolios, reports, journals, notebooks, and out-of-class assignments.

Students in middle school taking courses which award Carnegie units (high school credit) must follow the same course content and take the same assessments as students in high school taking the same course.

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Marking Period Grades

General
The grade assigned at the end of each interim and marking period will represent learning and work completed during that period. Grades will be based on a variety of assessments. Major projects, including written compositions, will be a part of the marking period grade in which the project is due. Exam grades will be a part of the marking period in which the examinations are administered.

Middle School
Each nine week long marking period must include a minimum of ten assessments documented in the grade book. Four of the ten assessments must be major assessments such as tests, written compositions, performances or projects. Five assessments will take place before each interim report.

Teachers will determine a numeric grade each marking period based either on a numerical average or on a percentage system of points possible compared to points earned. The following scale will be used to determine letter grades. 93 to 100 = A, 85 to 92 = B, 77 to 84 = C, 70 to 76 = D, and 0 to 69 = F. When students leave middle school, courses carrying Carnegie units must be reported to the receiving high school using the numeric SC Uniform Grading Scale.

High School
Each nine week long marking period must include a minimum of fifteen assessments documented in the grade book. Homework, class participation, and other assessments may count within the fifteen, but seven must be major assessments such as tests, written compositions, performances or projects. Seven assessments will take place before each interim report. The cumulative numeric grade must be reported on interim reports.

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Final Grades

The final grade for courses will be calculated on marking period grades no lower than 60.

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Testing

A. Tests must reflect what is taught both in content and format.

B. Each major test must have a writing component where the student responds in complete sentences.

C. Each major test should include questions that require different levels of thinking.

D. Nine weeks marking period exams are required and will count no more than 10% of the final grade for the marking period. Alternative assessments such as products or performances may be considered as a marking period exam or a final exam

E. Final exams are required and will count no more than 20% of the final grade of the final nine week marking period.

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Non-Standard Grades

The following grades award no credit due to excessive absences. If attendance waivers is not granted, each grade will be calculated into the GPR as a 62 average.

EA = grade of 93 through 100
EB = grade of 85 through 92
EC = grade of 77 through 84
ED = grade of 70 through 76

I = Incomplete (Requires administrative approval)

WF = withdrew from course after the deadline set by SC Uniform Grading Policy.

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Misbehavior and Grades

Student misbehavior will not be a factor in calculating grades. Misbehavior will be handled through the teacher's behavior management plan and the school discipline policy.

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Homework and Out of Class Assignments

Teachers should consider the following guidelines in developing procedures for work assigned for out of class:

A. Guided practice should be provided in class so that students receive clear instructions about assignments, understand the purpose of the assignment, and have opportunities to ask questions and receive feedback about the assignment.

B. Teachers decide the weight given to homework in calculating grades; however, the weight given to homework assigned as practice should not result in a student's failure of the course.

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Make-Up Work

Students should make up missed work in a reasonable amount of time as set by school policy. The teacher will determine the assignments which students must make up. Teachers will establish and teach procedures for make up work. Make up procedures will be included on the Course Requirements and Procedures Form.

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Teacher Judgement

If the application of the grading system results in an obvious inequity, the teacher, with the principal's approval, may make adjustments to the student's grade.

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Transfers

When students transfer during a marking period, receiving teachers will count the grades from the sending school in calculating grades for the marking period. The grade the student had when transferring should reflect the time spent in the previous school. For example, if a student transfers in the middle of the first nine-weeks marking period with an average of 90, the teacher at the receiving school will average the 90 as half of the first nine-weeks grade.

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