Why You Need Grading Guidelines

Law and Policy 

State law requires a district to adopt a grading policy that includes provisions for the assignment of grades on class assignments and examinations [see EIA(LEGAL)]. These policies:  

1. Must require a classroom teacher to assign a grade that reflects the student's relative mastery of an assignment; 
2. May not require a classroom teacher to assign a minimum grade for an assignment without regard to the student's quality of work; and 
3. May allow a student a reasonable opportunity to make up or redo a class assignment or examination for which the student received a failing grade. 

Most districts have adopted local policy at EIA(LOCAL) that addresses these requirements at Guidelines for Grading. TASB Policy Service’s base policy language reads: 

The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that each campus or instructional level develops guidelines for teachers to follow in determining grades for students. These guidelines shall ensure that grading reflects a student's relative mastery of an assignment and that a sufficient number of grades are taken to support the grade average assigned. Guidelines for grading shall be clearly communicated to students and parents. 

The District shall permit a student who meets the criteria detailed in the grading guidelines a reasonable opportunity to redo an assignment or retake a test for which the student received a failing grade. 

Administrative Grading Guidelines 

Districts may not be aware that their policy requires district administrators to develop grading guidelines and communicate those guidelines to students and parents. TASB Policy Service’s base policy language leaves several topics for administrative guidance, such as: 

• What constitutes a sufficient number of grades to support the grade average assigned? 
• What is a reasonable opportunity to redo an assignment or retake a test? 

There are also topics this policy doesn’t address, such as: 

• Late work and make-up work 
• Grading penalties for academic dishonesty 
• Principles regarding homework 

So why not incorporate these specifics into board-adopted policy? 

“Grading guidelines are more appropriate for administrative regulations than board-adopted policy,” says Amanda Bigbee, Director of Policy Service. “Board policy authorizes district administrators to develop guidelines for grading to allow for differentiation based on student age and academic subject, and also to allow for changes to those guidelines as our understanding of best practices evolves.” 

TASB Policy Service recommends that grading guidelines should be clear, specific, and tailored to student needs and abilities and subject matter. For example, grading guidelines might have minimum numbers of grades per reporting period for secondary students that vary based on the subject. Your English language arts team might put more emphasis on major assignments like essays or tests, while your math team might put more emphasis on daily assignments.  

Your elementary team might want to set a strict limit on homework for younger students and a more flexible limit for older students.  

You may want to set limits on when a student may redo an assignment or retake a test on which they received a failing grade. For example, you might exclude a student from redoing an assignment if they received a failing grade because of academic dishonesty, or you might limit the student’s grade on the redone assignment to no more than a 70 to level the playing field for students who passed the assignment the first time. 

Policy Service Can Help 

Policy Service has developed a model regulation for grading guidelines, available in the Regulations Resource Manual (RRM). The model regulation at EIA(REGULATION) is designed for districts to download and customize to meet their needs. Districts are free to add, delete, reorganize, and revise the model language.  

Policy Service also has model forms at EIE(EXHIBIT) related to grading and grade reporting, including an acknowledgment form for district grading guidelines (paper and electronic) and a form regarding parent acknowledgment of electronic signature for student grade and performance information. 

Like all administrative regulations, grading guidelines and forms are subject to board review but should not be adopted by the board [see BP(LOCAL)]. Districts often post grading guidelines to their website or publish them as an appendix to their student handbook.