New Grading Guidelines for 2019-2020 Spring Semester

On April 20, 2020, the Amarillo ISD School Board adopted a resolution temporarily changing several provisions in our local policies that deal with grading, class rank, GPA calculations, promotion, etc. New grading guidelines that are in effect for the end of the 2019-2020 school year are described below. Please contact your student’s teacher or principal if you have specific questions about assignments, grades, course credit and other year-end grading procedures.

Class Rank and Grade Point Average (GPA) Calculations

Grades from the 2020 Spring semester will not count toward GPA or class rank for any student.

12th Grade: GPA and class rank will be calculated from final transcript grades through the 2019 fall semester. Grades earned in the 2020 spring semester will not count toward class rank or GPA. However, all courses in a student’s graduation plan must be completed in order for the student to receive credit toward graduation.

9th, 10th, 11th Grades: Grades from the 2020 spring semester will not count toward class rank or GPA. However, all courses in a student’s graduation plan must be completed in order for the student to receive credit toward graduation.

Grading

For the 2020 spring semester, for all students, grades will be used as a communication tool to demonstrate a student’s mastery of the subject and progress toward course credit and promotion to the next grade level.

• Grades will not be used for GPA or class rank calculations
• Grades will not be reported on a traditional report card for the 5th six weeks
• After the 5th grading period is completed, parents/students will be able to view grades on Skyward

Grade Calculations will consist of the following:

High School

 5th Grading/Marking Period: The 5th grading period (5th six-week period) is from February 18 – March 13, 2020. Students who did not complete assignments by the end of the 5th grading period will not be penalized. Students who fail the 5th grading period need to contact their teacher.

6th Grading/Marking Period: The 6th and final grading period (6th six-week period) will be from March 23 – May 22, 2020. Teachers will report 1 – 2 grades per week. Teachers will communicate which assignments will be for a grade and which will be for skill development/practice.

First Semester: Students who did not receive credit for the first semester in individual courses may continue credit recovery in the second semester or attend summer school for the opportunity to receive credit for the course.

Second Semester: The final second semester grade will be calculated by taking the average of the 4th, 5th, and 6th grading/marking periods. There will be no traditional semester exams. Students who do not receive credit for the second semester in individual courses may attend summer school for the opportunity to receive credit.

NOTE: Middle school courses that count for high school credit, such as Algebra 1, Professional Communications, Spanish 1, Maps, etc., will follow the high school guidelines above.

Elementary and Middle School

All grades in the final grading period (from March 23, 2020 – May 22, 2020) will be reported as Pass, Fail or Incomplete.

Criteria for a grade of ’PASS’: The student completed the assignment successfully, with at least 70% mastery.

Criteria for a grade of ‘FAIL’: The student completed the assignment at less than 70% mastery OR failed to complete the assignment.

Criteria for a grade of ‘INCOMPLETE’: The student has shown evidence of work in progress, but has not yet finished the work/assignment. NOTE that this work may need to be completed in summer school.

5th Grading Period: The 5th grading period (5th six-week period) is from February 18 – March 13, 2020. Students who did not complete assignments by the end of the 5th grading period will not be penalized. Students who fail the 5th grading period need to contact their individual teacher.

6th Grading Period: The 6th grading period (6th six-week period) will be from March 23 – May 22. Teachers will report 1 – 2 grades per week. Teachers will communicate which assignments will be for a grade and which will be for skill development/practice.

Semester Grades (Middle School): Students who did not receive a 70 or above for the first semester in a core course may continue credit recovery in the second semester or attend summer school.

Students who do not receive a grade of PASS for the second semester in a core course will attend summer school for the opportunity to promote to the next grade level.

Final Grades (Elementary School): Final grades for elementary students will be calculated using grades from the first, second, third, and fourth grading periods, as well as progress report grades from the fifth grading period, and the compilation of PASS/FAIL/INCOMPLETE assignments from the final grading period of the 2019-2020 school year.