Hickman County Board of Education
Descriptor Code:
Issued Date:
Descriptor Term:
4.600
03/03/25
Grading System
Rescinds:
Issued:
4.600
10/21/24
1
The director of schools shall develop an administrative procedure to establish a system of grading and
2
assessment for evaluating and recording student progress and to measure student performance in
3
conjunction with Board-adopted content standards for grades K-8. The grading/assessment system shall
4
follow all applicable statutes and rules and regulations of the State Board of Education. The
5
grading/assessment system shall be uniform district-wide at comparable grade levels except that the
6
director of schools shall have the authority to establish and operate ungraded and/or unstructured classes
7
in grades K-3. 1
8
The director of schools shall submit a copy of the grading, reporting and assessment systems to the Board
9
before the system is implemented. 2 These guidelines shall be communicated annually to students and
10
parents/guardians.
1
11
GRADING SYSTEM: GRADES NINE - TWELVE (9-12)
12
Schools teaching grades nine (9) through twelve (12) shall use the uniform grading system established
13
by the State Board of Education. This shall also apply to students enrolled in eighth grade for the grades
14
achieved on high school courses. Using the uniform grading system, students' grades shall be reported
15
for the purposes of application for post-secondary financial assistance administered by the Tennessee
16
Student Assistance Corporation.
17
Subject-area grades shall be expressed by the following letters with their corresponding percentage
18
range:
19
A (90-100)
20
B (80-89)
21
C (70-79)
22
D (60-69)
23
F (0-59)
24
Grading floors with a minimum above zero are not permitted. 3 This grading system shall be uniform
25
throughout the school district for each grade.
26
The following high school courses will have weighted grades:
27
Honors English (Grades 9-12)
Trigonometry
28
Honors Biology I and II
Honors Algebra II
29
Honors Physical Science
Honors Geometry
30
Honors Chemistry
Dual Enrollment College Courses
Version Date: June 23, 2026
Grading System
4.600
1
Honors Physics
Honors American History
2
Honors Anatomy
Honors Algebra I
3
Calculus
4
SDC SAILS Statistics
Dual Enrollment TCAT
5
SDC Pre-Calculus
6
Advanced coursework grades will be weighted with additional percentage points to calculate the
7
semester average. Depending on the course taken, the following percentage points will be assigned:
8
Honors Courses - three (3) percentage points;
9
10
Local and Statewide Dual Credit, Capstone Industry Certification Aligned - four (4) percentage
11
points; and
12
13
Advanced Placement, Cambridge International, College Level Exam Program (CLEP),
14
International Baccalaureate Courses, and Dual Enrollment Courses - five (5) percentage points.
15
Student Absent for State Mandated Exams:
16
1. If a student taking high school assessed subjects is absent, the student will receive a zero or
17
incomplete. If the student is allowed to make up the exam, he or she will do so during the
18
next scheduled administration. A locally-created exam cannot be administered in lieu of a
19
state exam.
20
2. If a student, taking a K-8 State mandated assessment, is absent or unable to be administered
21
a defined part(s) of any content area or all of the content areas, the student must take an
22
alternate exam approved by the Chief Academic Officer to substitute for the corresponding
23
content not tested.
24
Administration of the alternate exam shall be scheduled by the principal for such a time which
25
shall allow for scoring to be completed before the end of the spring semester of the current
26
school year.
27
Failure to complete the alternative assessment before the end of the spring semester shall
28
result in the student receiving a grade of zero which shall be counted for fifteen (15%) percent
29
of a student's final grade for the spring semester.
30
Conduct shall be marked as follows:
31
E
Excellent
32
S
Satisfactory
33
U
Unsatisfactory
34
Conduct grades are based on behavior and shall not be deducted from scholastic grades.
Page 2 of 4
Grading System
4.600
1
Attendance records will not be the sole criterion in determining the awarding of grades or the passing of
2
a course or promotion or retention.
3
Plus and minus evaluations are not to be added to letter grades. Grades are not to be changed once
4
recorded on a report card. If an erroneous grade has been recorded, correction must be made on a new
5
card.
6
Grades given at the end of each nine (9) weeks period for elementary, intermediate, middle school, and
7
high school will be determined from daily work, homework, written assignments and tests. The teacher
8
will weigh the value of grades given for various assignments and tests within the applicable period in
9
computing the grade. This procedure will enable the teacher to allow for individual student differences
10
in the grading process. Any assignments and tests required of a student must be considered in the
11
computation of his grade.
12
At the middle school level and at the high school level, grades will be determined by an average of grades
13
for each of the two 9-week periods. The grades given at the end of each nine (9) weeks period shall be
14
the grade earned by the student, as computed by the teacher, and shall not be subject to manipulation,
15
regardless of the passing or failing nature of the grade provided that said teacher has documented
16
verification on file that he/she has reasonably attempted to contact the student's parent(s) or guardian(s)
17
making them aware of the student's failing grade or grades. The final grade of the year will be determined
18
by averaging the two (2) semester grades.
19
The work of a student whose grades are satisfactory but are withheld because of failure to complete the
20
required work shall be reported as incomplete (I). If the incomplete is not removed in the time designated
21
by the teacher, it will then become an "F".
22
GRADES NINE - TWELVE GRADING SCALE AND LOTTERY SCHOLARSHIPS³
23
Schools teaching grades nine through twelve shall use the uniform grading system established by the
24
State Board of Education. Using the uniform grading system, students' grades shall be reported for the
25
purposes of application for post secondary financial assistance administered by the Tennessee Student
26
Assistance Corporation.
27
Each school counselor shall provide incoming freshman with information on college core courses
28
required for lottery scholarships as well as necessary criteria (grade point average, ACT, and SAT score,
29
etc.) that must be met in order to receive a scholarship.
30
Seniors may apply for the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship by completing the Free Application for Federal
31
Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is available at the guidance office or on-line at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
32
Students shall be made aware of all applicable FAFSA deadlines and encouraged to submit applications
33
in a timely manner.
34
Elementary school counselors should explain the HOPE Scholarship and its requirements to their
35
students and impress upon them the benefits of making good grades.
36
LOTTERY SCHOLARSHIP DAY
Page 3 of 4
Grading System
4.600
1
Each school year, prior to scheduling courses for the following school year, schools teaching students
2
in grades 8-11 shall conduct a lottery scholarship day for students and their parents. 4
Legal References
Cross References
1. TCA 49-2-203(b)(16): TCA 49-2-301(b)(1)(H)
Alternative Credit Options 4.209
2.
TRR/MS 0520-01-03-.02; State Board of Education
Credit Recovery 4.210
Policy 3.301; TCA 49-6-407
Reporting Student Progress 4.601
3.
TCA 49-4-904, 905, 907; Public Acts of 2024,
Honor Roll, Awards, & Class Ranking 4.602
Chapter No. 1005 -
Promotion and Retention 4.603
4.
TCA 49-4-932(f)
Transcript Alterations 4.608
Page 4 of 4

## Table 1

|  | Hickman County Board of | Education |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|  | Descriptor Term: | Descriptor Code: 4.600 | Issued Date: 03/03/25 |
|  | Grading System | Rescinds: 4.600 | Issued: 10/21/24 |

## Table 2

| Honors English (Grades 9-12) | Trigonometry |
| --- | --- |
| Honors Biology I and II | Honors Algebra II |
| Honors Physical Science | Honors Geometry |
| Honors Chemistry | Dual Enrollment College Courses |

## Table 3

| E | Excellent |
| --- | --- |
| S | Satisfactory |
| U | Unsatisfactory |

## Table 4

| 1 2 | Attendance records will not be the sole criterion in determining the awarding of grades or the passing of a course or promotion or retention. |
| --- | --- |
| 3 4 5 | Plus and minus evaluations are not to be added to letter grades. Grades are not to be changed once recorded on a report card. If an erroneous grade has been recorded, correction must be made on a new card. |
| 6 7 8 9 10 11 | Grades given at the end of each nine (9) weeks period for elementary, intermediate, middle school, and high school will be determined from daily work, homework, written assignments and tests. The teacher will weigh the value of grades given for various assignments and tests within the applicable period in computing the grade. This procedure will enable the teacher to allow for individual student differences in the grading process. Any assignments and tests required of a student must be considered in the computation of his grade. |
| 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 | At the middle school level and at the high school level, grades will be determined by an average of grades for each of the two 9-week periods. The grades given at the end of each nine (9) weeks period shall be the grade earned by the student, as computed by the teacher, and shall not be subject to manipulation, regardless of the passing or failing nature of the grade provided that said teacher has documented verification on file that he/she has reasonably attempted to contact the student's parent(s) or guardian(s) making them aware of the student's failing grade or grades. The final grade of the year will be determined by averaging the two (2) semester grades. |
| 19 20 21 | The work of a student whose grades are satisfactory but are withheld because of failure to complete the required work shall be reported as incomplete (I). If the incomplete is not removed in the time designated by the teacher, it will then become an "F". |
| 22 | GRADES NINE - TWELVE GRADING SCALE AND LOTTERY SCHOLARSHIPS³ |
| 23 24 25 26 | Schools teaching grades nine through twelve shall use the uniform grading system established by the State Board of Education. Using the uniform grading system, students' grades shall be reported for the purposes of application for post secondary financial assistance administered by the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation. |
| 27 28 29 | Each school counselor shall provide incoming freshman with information on college core courses required for lottery scholarships as well as necessary criteria (grade point average, ACT, and SAT score, etc.) that must be met in order to receive a scholarship. |
| 30 31 32 33 | Seniors may apply for the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is available at the guidance office or on-line at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Students shall be made aware of all applicable FAFSA deadlines and encouraged to submit applications in a timely manner. |
| 34 35 | Elementary school counselors should explain the HOPE Scholarship and its requirements to their students and impress upon them the benefits of making good grades. |
|  |  |

## Table 5

|  | Legal References | Cross References |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1. | TCA 49-2-203(b)(16): TCA 49-2-301(b)(1)(H) | Alternative Credit Options 4.209 |
| 2. | TRR/MS 0520-01-03-.02; State Board of Education Policy 3.301; TCA 49-6-407 | Credit Recovery 4.210 Reporting Student Progress 4.601 |
| 3. | TCA 49-4-904, 905, 907; Public Acts of 2024, Chapter No. 1005 - | Honor Roll, Awards, & Class Ranking 4.602 Promotion and Retention 4.603 |
| 4. | TCA 49-4-932(f) | Transcript Alterations 4.608 |