Hickman County Board of Education
Descriptor Code:
Issued Date:
Descriptor Term:
4.600
05/04/20
Grading System
Rescinds:
Issued:
4.600
03/05/18
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
4
shall 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
7
classes in grades K-3. 1
8
The director of schools shall submit a copy of the grading, reporting and assessment systems to the
9
Board before the system is implemented. 2 These guidelines shall be communicated annually to students
10
and parents/guardians.¹
11
12
GRADING SYSTEM: GRADES NINE - TWELVE (9-12)¹
Schools teaching grades nine (9) through twelve (12) 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.
Subject-area grades shall be expressed by the following letters with their corresponding percentage
range:
A (90-100)
B (80-89)
C (70-79)
D (60-69)
F (0-59)
This grading system shall be uniform throughout the school district for each grade.
13
Version Date: June 22, 2022
Grading System
4.600
1
The following high school courses will have weighted grades:
2
Honors English (Grades 9-12)
Trigonometry
3
Honors Biology I
Honors Algebra II
4
Honors Physical Science
Honors Geometry
5
Honors Chemistry
Dual Enrollment College Courses
6
Honors Physics
Honors American History
7
Anatomy
Honors Algebra I
8
Biology II
Calculus
9
Pre-Calculus
10
Advanced coursework grades will be weighted with additional percentage points to calculate the
11
semester average. Depending on the course taken, the following percentage points will be assigned:⁶
12
Honors Courses - three (3) percentage points;
13
14
Local and Statewide Dual Credit, Capstone Industry Certification Aligned, and Dual
15
Enrollment Courses - four (4) percentage points; and
16
17
Advanced Placement, Cambridge International, College Level Exam Program (CLEP), and
18
International Baccalaureate Courses - five (5) percentage points.
19
Student Absent for State Mandated Exams:
20
1. If a student taking high school assessed subjects is absent, the student will receive a zero or
21
incomplete. If the student is allowed to make up the exam, he or she will do SO during the
22
next scheduled administration. A locally-created exam cannot be administered in lieu of a
23
state exam.
24
2. If a student, taking a K-8 State mandated assessment, is absent or unable to be administered
25
a defined part(s) of any content area or all of the content areas, the student must take an
26
alternate exam approved by the Chief Academic Officer to substitute for the corresponding
27
content not tested.
28
Administration of the alternate exam shall be scheduled by the principal for such a time
29
which shall allow for scoring to be completed before the end of the spring semester of the
30
current school year.
Page 2 of 4
Grading System
4.600
1
Failure to complete the alternative assessment before the end of the spring semester shall
2
result in the student receiving a grade of zero which shall be counted for fifteen (15%)
3
percent of a student's final grade for the spring semester. 3
4
Conduct shall be marked as follows:
5
E
Excellent
6
S
Satisfactory
7
U
Unsatisfactory
8
Conduct grades are based on behavior and shall not be deducted from scholastic grades.
9
Attendance records will not be the sole criterion in determining the awarding of grades or the passing
10
of a course or promotion or retention.
11
Plus and minus evaluations are not to be added to letter grades. Grades are not to be changed once
12
recorded on a report card. If an erroneous grade has been recorded, correction must be made on a new
13
card.
14
Grades given at the end of each nine (9) weeks period for elementary, intermediate, middle school, and
15
high school will be determined from daily work, homework, written assignments and tests. The
16
teacher will weigh the value of grades given for various assignments and tests within the applicable
17
period in computing the grade. This procedure will enable the teacher to allow for individual student
18
differences in the grading process. Any assignments and tests required of a student must be considered
19
in the computation of his grade.
20
At the middle school level and at the high school level, grades will be determined by an average of
21
grades for each of the two 9-week periods. The grades given at the end of each nine (9) weeks period
22
shall be the grade earned by the student, as computed by the teacher, and shall not be subject to
23
manipulation, regardless of the passing or failing nature of the grade provided that said teacher has
24
documented verification on file that he/she has reasonably attempted to contact the student's parent(s)
25
or guardian(s) making them aware of the student's failing grade or grades. The final grade of the year
26
will be determined by averaging the two (2) semester grades.
27
The work of a student whose grades are satisfactory but are withheld because of failure to complete the
28
required work shall be reported as incomplete (I). If the incomplete is not removed in the time
29
designated by the teacher, it will then become an "F".
Page 3 of 4
Grading System
4.600
1
GRADES NINE - TWELVE GRADING SCALE AND LOTTERY SCHOLARSHIPS⁵
2
Schools teaching grades nine through twelve shall use the uniform grading system established by the
3
State Board of Education. Using the uniform grading system, students' grades shall be reported for the
4
purposes of application for post-secondary financial assistance administered by the Tennessee Student
5
Assistance Corporation. 1
6
Each school counselor shall provide incoming freshman with information on college core courses
7
required for lottery scholarships as well as necessary criteria (grade point average, ACT, and SAT
8
score, etc.) that must be met in order to receive a scholarship.
9
Seniors may apply for the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship by completing the Free Application for
10
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is available at the guidance office or on-line at
11
www.fafsa.ed.gov. Students shall be made aware of all applicable FAFSA deadlines and encouraged to
12
submit applications in a timely manner.
13
Elementary school counselors should explain the HOPE Scholarship and its requirements to their
14
students and impress upon them the benefits of making good grades.
15
LOTTERY SCHOLARSHIP DAY
16
Each school year, prior to scheduling courses for the following school year, schools teaching students
17
in grades 8-11 shall conduct a lottery scholarship day for students and their parents. 6
Legal References
Cross References
1.TRR/MS 0520-01-03-.05(3)
Alternative Credit Options 4.209
2.TCA 49-2-203(b)(7); TCA 49-2-301(b)(1)(H)
Credit Recovery 4.210
3.TCA 49-1-617
Reporting Student Progress 4.601
4.TCA 49-2-203(b)(7)
Honor Roll, Awards, & Class Ranking 4.602
5.TCA 49-4-904-907; SBOE Policy 3.301
Promotion and Retention 4.603
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: 05/04/20 |
|  | Grading System | Rescinds: 4.600 | Issued: 03/05/18 |

## Table 2

| Honors English (Grades 9-12) | Trigonometry |
| --- | --- |
| Honors Biology I | Honors Algebra II |
| Honors Physical Science | Honors Geometry |
| Honors Chemistry | Dual Enrollment College Courses |
| Honors Physics | Honors American History |
| Anatomy | Honors Algebra I |
| Biology II | Calculus |
| Pre-Calculus |  |

## Table 3

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

## Table 4

| Legal References | Cross References |
| --- | --- |
| 1.TRR/MS 0520-01-03-.05(3) | Alternative Credit Options 4.209 |
| 2.TCA 49-2-203(b)(7); TCA 49-2-301(b)(1)(H) | Credit Recovery 4.210 |
| 3.TCA 49-1-617 | Reporting Student Progress 4.601 |
| 4.TCA 49-2-203(b)(7) | Honor Roll, Awards, & Class Ranking 4.602 |
| 5.TCA 49-4-904-907; SBOE Policy 3.301 | Promotion and Retention 4.603 |
| TCA 49-4-932(f) | Transcript Alterations 4.608 |