Administrative Procedure 5121.3 - Grading and Reporting for High Schools Grade 9 through Grade 12

Table of Contents

1. Purpose
2. Policy
3. Rationale/Background
4. Definitions
5. Procedures
   1. Course of Study Syllabus
   2. Grading Elements
   3. Grading Categories
   4. Reporting and Recording Grades
   5. Learning Management System
   6. Grading - Absences
   7. Determining Final Grades
   8. Grade Point Average (GPA)
   9. Honor Roll
   10. Progress Reports
   11. Report Cards
   12. Parent Conferences
   13. Outstanding Obligations for Educational Materials
   14. Students Receiving Special Education Services
   15. Students Receiving English Language Development (ELD) Services
   16. Transfer Students
   17. Dropped Courses
   18. Repeated Courses
   19. Procedures for Appeal/Authorization of Grade Change
   20. Printing and Requests for Reprints
6. Monitoring and Compliance
7. Related Administrative Procedures
8. Legal Reference
9. Maintenance and Update of This Administrative Procedures
10. History
11. Effective Date

Purpose

1. The purpose of Administrative Procedure (AP) 5121.3 is to provide guidance to administrators and teachers in the implementation of the grading and reporting systems to be used in all high schools and centers in Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS).
2. Principals/designees are responsible for ensuring that grading and reporting policies are applied consistently within their school and for reviewing procedures with staff.
3. With additional guidance of the International High School and Educational Online Program administrative procedures, all high school programs follow AP 5121.3 for grading and reporting.
   1. For additional International High School guidance, see Administrative Procedure 6186 (International High Schools: Admission, Grading and Reporting).
   2. For additional Educational Online Program guidance, see Administrative Procedure 5182 (Educational Online Program).  

Policy

1. The Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) 13A.03.02.08 states that each local school system shall develop a written policy on grading and reporting.
2. Each local school system will file its grading and reporting policies with the State Superintendent of Schools. The following procedures have been developed according to COMAR.
3. The Board of Education of Prince George's County (Board) believes that all students can learn and achieve at high levels, that rigorous performance standards and achievement standards are essential components of developing and delivering quality instruction, and that regular assessment is an important component of an effective teaching and learning environment and an important tool in measuring students' learning. (Board Policy 5121)
4. As PGCPS transitions into a new student information system, terminology and process updates are subject to change.

Rationale/Background

1. Grading and promotion within PGCPS will be based upon the degree of success an individual student has achieved in completing the educational program designed to meet their unique needs.
2. Every student will have the opportunity to earn grades that reflect their ability to demonstrate learning outcomes and be graded only in accordance with their achievement on material or information based on specified learning outcomes and approved curricula.
3. The bell curve will not be used as a basis for determining student grades.
4. Grades will be based on class work, independent assignments, and assessments.  

Definitions

1. Dual Enrollment – The general Dual enrollment program of Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) offers high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to earn college credits while still completing their secondary education.
2. Failure to Post report – A report generated after the close of a grading window that identifies students for whom a required grade was not submitted or successfully posted in the district's student information system.
3. Grade Manager  – A school-based personnel assigned by the principal and responsible for updating quarter and final grades in the student information system grades module. A central office grade manager may be assigned for cases not defined in this procedure.
4. Grading Window – The time period near the end of each quarter when teachers are responsible for entering and publishing grades in the student information system per the annual schedule posted in the staff portal
5. Post-Cutoff-Date Correction Entry – A grade correction submitted after the grading window closes in accordance with Administrative Procedure 5116 (Grade Change Authorization and Appeals
6. Pramming Sheet – A document used to review and determine the transferability and credit awarded for coursework completed by a student at another school, including the originating school, course information, grades, credits attempted and completed, and resulting credit totals.
7. Transcript Manager – School-based staff member assigned by the principal and responsible for changing transcript grades (i.e., final grades) in the student information system transcript module. A central office transcript manager is assigned for cases not defined within this procedure.

Procedures

1. Course of Study Syllabus
   
   Within the first ten (10) days of each course, teachers shall provide to students and parents/guardians (hereinafter “parent(s)”), via online access or hard copy, a written course outline, syllabus, or overview of grade/course expectations including grading procedures, grading categories, and weight assigned to each category. Course outlines, syllabi or overviews of a grade/course expectations can be found on curricula guides and curriculum staff portal sites.
   
   
2. Grading Elements
   1. Grades will be used on report cards for all courses taken for credit. The grades will be reported in a letter grade format.
   2. The grades eligible for use on report cards are A, B, C, D, E, I, N, P, F, UC, and W, with no plus or minus signs. Gradebook averages are rounded to the nearest whole number (ex. 82.4 = 82, 91.5 = 92), which is then converted to the corresponding letter grade. Grades for transfer students will be aligned to these eligible grades. Interpretations of letter grades are as follows:
      1. A = Excellent progress toward meeting course objectives and learning outcomes (90%-100%).
      2. B = Above average progress toward meeting course objectives and learning outcomes (80%-89%).
      3. C = Average progress toward meeting course objectives and learning outcomes (70%-79%).
      4. D = Below Average progress toward meeting course objectives and learning outcomes (60%-69%).
      5. E = Failure toward meeting course objectives and learning outcomes (0-59%).
      6. I = Incomplete. The “I” grade may only be used temporarily for secondary students who have been lawfully absent from school and have not had an opportunity to make up missed work in a timely manner.
      7. N = No Grade. The “N” grade may be used only for transfer students from outside of PGCPS.
      8. P = Pass (credit bearing) is only used for Alt (alternate education courses), TAP (Tests of Achievement and Proficiency), or by approval of the Chief Academic Officer.
      9. F = Fail (not credit bearing) is only used for Alt (alternate education courses) or by approval of the Chief Academic Officer.
      10. UC = University or College grade pending.
      11. W = Withdrawn. The Student Intervention Team agrees to allow a student to drop a course after 20 school days from the start of a year-long course or ten (10) school days in a semester course. If a student receives an “NA” for nonattendance or “W” for withdrawn in a college or online course, a “W” will be the grade earned in the high school course.
   3. Categories used to determine student grades must include the following items:
      1. Class Work
      2. Independent Assignments
      3. Assessments
      4. End of course (EOC) assessment (first time ninth grade 2023-2024 students enrolled in Biology and Local, State, and National Government)
   4. Teachers shall assign a minimum grade of 50% to assignments or assessments for which the student completed the entire assignment and made a good faith effort. Good faith effort is determined by the teacher as evidenced by the student displaying persistence, striving for accuracy, time on task, and/or trying an alternative method to solve a problem (which might not be accurate). It is also a display of thinking as a student works to sort through ideas, apply context or figure out how to solve problems. If a student does no work on an assignment, the teacher shall assign a grade of zero.
3. Grading Categories
   1. General characteristics for INDEPENDENT ASSIGNMENTS, CLASS WORK, and ASSESSMENTS are as follows: for all categories, teachers should make a connection to previous or current content standards and provide feedback that is prompt, specific, understandable to the student, and formed to allow for self-adjustment on the student’s part.
   2. INDEPENDENT ASSIGNMENTS have the following characteristics:
      1. Intended to be completed separately from the teacher (i.e., opportunities for independent practice);
      2. Aligned to a previously taught skill or concept and used for review, practice, enrichment, or completion of work. Students have the chance to apply what they learn in the classroom. Independent assignments usually reinforce previously taught skills and may prepare students for future lessons; and
      3. In secondary school, assignments are due on the next day of scheduled classes but should not be required for submission the day following school being closed.
   3. CLASS WORK has the following characteristics:
      1. Intended to be completed with the teacher available to observe, answer questions, and/or interact with students while completing work, or separately by the student during an independent module/break;
      2. Intended to involve interaction among students with their peers;
      3. Intended for the majority of the assignment to be completed during class time;
      4. Aligned to a previously taught skill or concept and/or used for review, practice, enrichment, completion of work or preparation for a future lesson; and
      5. Can be completed during or outside of school hours.
   4. ASSESSMENTS have the following characteristics:
      1. Intended to measure the successful acquisition of learning and/or mastery of a set of standards;
      2. Aligned to a previously taught skill or concept and used for review, practice, enrichment, or completion of work unless in the instance of diagnostics;
      3. Intended to be completed with or without teacher observation;
      4. Intended to allow students to demonstrate mastery in various modalities and formats; and
      5. Differentiated so that all students can experience success and work independently.
   5. For first time ninth grade students in school year 2023-2024 who are enrolled in Biology and Local, State, and National Government, 80% of the student’s grade will be calculated using Independent Assignments, Class Work, and Assessments. The remaining 20% of the grade will be calculated using the end of course (EOC) assessment.
   6. An EOC assessment is content specific and required to be taken at the conclusion of a high school course. The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has developed a process for reporting scaled scores into one (1) of four (4) performance levels. Students will receive an individual student report (ISR) with their scaled score and performance level.
      
      

      High School Grades 9-12 Grading Categories These grading categories and percentages are preset in the student information system for courses with credit value. Teachers may not change the percentages in these grading categories in their gradebooks. Teachers may not edit or create additional categories. Non-credit, online and blended courses do not have gradebook category weights.
      Content Area	INDEPENDENT ASSIGNMENTS	CLASS WORK	ASSESSMENTS
      Academic Internship	10	50	40
      Academic Resource	10	50	40
      Advanced Placement	25	35	40
      Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID)	25	35	40
      Aerospace Engeering and Aviation Technology (AEAT)	25	35	40
      Career and Technical Education	10	50	40
      College Summit	25	30	45
      Concurrent Enrollment (credit)	NA	NA	NA
      Dance Education	10	60	30
      English Language Development (ELD)	25	35	40
      Family and Consumer Sciences	10	50	40
      Health Education	15	60	25
      Hearing Resource	10	50	40
      Immersion	20	35	45
      International Baccalaureate	25	35	40
      Instrumental Music	10	60	30
      Mathematics	25	35	40
      Media Arts Production	10	70	20
      Peer Group Connection	20	50	30
      Physical Education	5	70	25
      Project Lead the Way (PLTW)	10	50	40
      Reading/English Language Arts	25	35	40
      Research Practicum (S/T and AEAT)	25	35	40
      SAT Prep	25	35	40
      Science	25	35	40
      Science and Technology (S/T)	25	35	40
      Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)	25	35	40
      Social Studies	25	35	40
      Theatre Arts/Drama		85	15
      Visual Art	30	50	20
      Vocal and General Music	10	60	30
      World Languages	20	35	45

      
      

      High School Grades 9-12 Grading Categories (CRI, Regional Schools, Regional Programs)
      Academic Resource - Social Skills	10	50	40
      Adaptive Ability Dance		80	20
      Art Alt		100
      Career Research and Development Alt	5	70	25
      English Alt	5	70	25
      Financial Literacy-Alt	5	70	25
      Health Alt	5	70	25
      Independent Living Skills- Alt	5	70	25
      Mathematics Alt	5	70	25
      Music Alt		100
      Physical Education Alt	5	70	25
      Science Alt	5	70	25
      Social Studies Alt	5	70	25
      Work Place Literacy-Alt	5	70	25

4. Reporting and Recording Grades
   1. Reporting
      1. In quarterly reporting to parents, a letter grade is used to indicate the performance of each student in relation to the attainment of learning outcomes and approved curricula. This quarterly letter grade is implemented effective in school year 2023-2024. (Previously, numeric grades were reported quarterly.)
      2. Students and/or parents may request one (1) additional opportunity to improve a score of 79% or below on each individual qualifying assessment, activity, or assignment that demonstrates knowledge of course content, skills, and standards. The higher grade shall be the grade of record. An assessment, activity or assignment is considered qualifying if the following criteria are met:
         1. ) The student completed and submitted the original assessment, activity, or assignment by the due date.
         2. ) The student participated in the teacher-facilitated re-teaching (before, during, or after school) within five (5) school days following the return of the original graded work. The intention of re-teaching is to promote student learning of the material. Re-teaching may include, but is not limited to, feedback on the original task/assessment, additional tasks assigned by teacher, study packet, review session, whole or small-group instruction, computer tutorial, peer tutoring, or attending school or content-specific study sessions. The re-teaching does not have to be face-to- face.
         3. ) Within ten (10) school days of receiving the returned original graded work, the student completed and resubmitted the new assessment, activity, or assignment.
         4. ) Final research reports and projects that culminate a unit of study, or final semester or marking period exams may not be reassessed. If the teacher determines that other class work, independent assignments, or assessments are not eligible for reassessment, that must be identified in writing at the time of original assignment. A teacher must offer a balance of assignments available for retake and may not disallow all assignments. 
         5. ) Make up work can be submitted only up to the fifth school day prior to the end of the quarter to ensure teachers have time to grade all outstanding work.
      3. A student enrolled in a course for 21 days or more after the start of the course must receive a letter grade for that grading period.
      4. General Education teachers must work collaboratively with Special Education Case Managers to review grades of students with disabilities to support student learning needs and to monitor and report student progress accurately.
      5. When a course is added to a school’s course master after the first day of school, the scheduler will create course sections for the course, update grading patterns and contact Student Applications to update the gradebook for the newly created sections.
   2. Recording
      1. Teachers will maintain a record of each student’s work, progress, and attendance in the student information system on a daily basis.
      2. Teachers and schools will maintain records of student progress. It is expected that teachers will enter graded student work into their electronic grade book and return that work to students within ten (10) school days of the due date of submission of the assignment. However, it is recognized that to provide meaningful feedback to students, teachers may not be able to read/review and post the grade within ten (10) school days, and, on those assignments, teachers may provide written notice on the rubric or assignment with a projected date that grades will be returned to students. Make up work can be submitted only up to the fifth school day prior to the end of the quarter to ensure teachers have time to grade all outstanding work. Assignment grades can be synced from the learning management system (LMS) to the student information system or entered into the student information system.
      3. If lawfully absent students return to school near the end of the first, second, or third marking period and do not have sufficient time to make up the missed work, an “I” (incomplete) grade will be assigned. The “I” must be resolved by the next marking period. The “I” cannot be recorded in the 4th quarter. The “I” is a placeholder with no grade point average value.
      4. Teachers must assess a variety of student performances such as written assignments, independent assignments, projects, class work, quizzes, tests, and end of quarter/course examinations. Teachers shall assign a minimum grade of 50% to assignments or assessments for which the student completed the entire assignment and made a good faith effort. Good faith effort is determined by the teacher as evidenced by the student displaying persistence, striving for accuracy, time on task, and/or trying an alternative method to solve a problem (which might not be accurate). It is also a display of thinking as a student works to sort through ideas, apply context or figure out how to solve problems. If a student does no work on an assignment, the teacher shall assign a grade of zero.
      5. Principals/designees are responsible for overseeing the entry of numerical grades each week in the student information system starting at the 10th day of school.
         1. ) The classroom teacher must record a minimum number of numerical grades each week in each subject per this chart:    
            

            Meeting Frequency (number of sessions per week)	Minimum number of grades to be recorded each week
            3-5 sessions	2
            1-2 sessions	1

         2. ) Grades must be recorded quarterly in each category (class work, independent assignments, and assessments).
         3. ) A minimum of four (4) grades must be recorded in grading categories of 20% or greater weight each quarterly marking period.
         4. ) The overall gradebook must have the minimum number of grades to be recorded each week per the chart above.
         5. ) If a course meets only once a week, the minimum of four (4) grades must be recorded in grading categories of the highest weight.
         6. ) For Dual Enrollment, the Department of Technology Application - Student Support designee inputs the course and grade into the course history in the student information system. The expectation for a minimum number of grades per week is to be waived for the Dual Enrollment courses to ensure that the grades the student receives on the high school transcript and college transcript will be the same.
      6. Teachers must return graded papers and assignments within ten (10) school days of submission in order to provide on-going, timely feedback to students and parents. A portfolio assessment of each student’s work is recommended as additional documentation of student performance.
      7. A student will receive a zero when any of the following occur:
         1. ) A student has cheated on a test, quiz, or assigned project;
         2. ) A student who has been lawfully absent fails to produce make-up work in a reasonable timeframe;
         3. ) A student has been unlawfully absent; or
         4. ) A student does not turn in an assignment.
      8. Assignments done for practice should not be assessed in terms of a grade, but in terms of completeness.
      9. Grades will not include systemic assessments that are a part of benchmarking measures.
      10. A consistent grading scale must be used when entering assignment scores.
          1. ) Teachers must enter the assignment score and earned scores.
          2. ) Since PGCPS uses a weighted gradebook, the student information system will automatically calculate both the percentage for the individual assignment and the weighted percentage for the entire category.
          3. ) Teachers must never mix entry types within a category (percentages, whole numbers). Combining the two in a gradebook skews the data.
      11. A change to the grade that occurs after the marking period ends but before the grading window closes shall be called a “grade override.” The grade resulting from the change shall be called the “new grade.” The grade initially recorded but later changed shall be called the “old grade.” In the event a student’s quarter grade needs to be adjusted, a teacher may override the calculated grade. Override grades should not be lower than the calculated grade.
          1. ) Grade Overrides Permissible – If the following conditions are met, Grade Overrides are permissible:
             1. ) The teacher has complied with grading and reporting procedures;
             2. ) The new grade more accurately reflects the student’s performance during the grading period than does the old grade; and
             3. ) The teacher can support the change by producing, upon request, sufficient documentation to show the new grade more accurately reflects the student’s performance than the old grade. The teacher is required to retain for one (1) additional school year and make available for inspection any and all documents and/or materials that the teacher contends support the grade override.
          2. ) Grade Override Prohibition – Grade overrides may not be used to mitigate the result of a teacher’s failure to comply with grading and/or reporting procedures and/or a teacher’s failure to comply with grade change procedures. In cases of an error, teachers are required to follow the grade change process. (See Administrative Procedure 5116)
      12. In the event of extenuating circumstances occurring at the end of the course, individual students may be exempted from final examinations upon the recommendation of the teacher and with the written approval of the Principal and the Instructional Director.
   3. Entry of Grades
      1. Teachers must adhere to the grade reporting timeline as published annually.
      2. All students in an assigned teacher’s course must receive a grade during the end of the quarter grading window if enrolled 21 or more school days in the course.
      3. Principals, or their designees, are responsible for ensuring that all grades are submitted prior to the closing of the grading window.
      4. Grade managers are responsible for identifying teachers who fail to post grades prior to and after the closing of the window. As a general practice, grade managers, may not enter grades for an absent teacher. However, in emergency situations, after the Principal has attempted to identify an alternative staff member to enter grades, the grade manager may do so with written approval from the Chief of Schools The grade manager must run a “Failure to Post” report and submit it to the Principal within 48 hours following report card grading windows. See Administrative Procedure 5116 for further information regarding grade manager responsibilities.
      5. Principals/designees are responsible for storing a “Failure to Post” report for a period of four (4) years in the Principal’s office.
      6. After the closing of the grading window but prior to the grade manager reporting that the grading file is “ready to print,” the grade manager must complete a Post-Cutoff-Date Correction entry for students whose grades were not reported during the grading window. The grade manager must collect documentation demonstrating how these grades were provided and include it when submitting the “failure to post” form.
      7. After the grade manager has reported the grade file is “ready to print,” all subsequent grade changes must occur using the electronic PS-140 form. For more information regarding the grade change process, see Administrative Procedure 5116 (Grade Change Authorization and Appeals).
5. Learning Management System
   1. Student information system generated courses in the learning management system (LMS) are populated with the Gradebook Category names aligned with this AP 5121.3. When creating assignments for student use, only use the grading categories provided: INDEPENDENT ASSIGNMENTS, CLASS WORK, and ASSESSMENTS.
   2. Teachers who are utilizing the LMS integration with the student information system for grading must reference the LMS Grading Guidance posted for teachers on the internal website explaining grading procedures.
6. Grading - Absences
   
   Refer to Administrative Procedure 5113 (Student Attendance, Absence and Truancy).
7. Determining Final Grades (Grades 9-12)
   1. For semester and year-long courses, all quarter grades will be given equal weight when computing final grades. In quarter-long courses, the final grade will be the same as the quarter grade. For first time ninth grade students in school year 2023-2024 or after who are enrolled in Biology and Local, State, and National Government, the final grade will include 20% from the end of course (EOC) assessment.
   2. The four-point scale is as follows:
      1. A = 4.00
      2. B = 3.00
      3. C = 2.00
      4. D = 1.00
      5. E = 0.00
   3. In averaging grades, the letter grades for all quarters are translated to the traditional four-point scale. The average grade is computed by adding the numerical equivalents for all letter grades and dividing by the number of grading quarters.
   4. The grading scale for final grades is as follows:
      1. A = 3.5-4.0 or higher
      2. B = 2.5-3.49
      3. C = 1.5-2.49
      4. D = 0.5-1.49
      5. E = 0.0-0.49
8. Grade Point Average (GPA)
   1. The following numerical equivalents will be used in computing the GPA from report card letter grades:
      

      Non-Honors	A = 4.00	B = 3.00	C = 2.00	D = 1.00	E = 0.00
      Honors	A = 4.50	B = 3.50	C = 2.50	D = 1.50	E = 0.00

      
      
      
   2.  For additional weighting at the high school level, Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), dual credit, and select other courses are approved. Seminar courses will not receive weighted grades. Additional courses may be approved system-wide by the Chief Academic Officer. In computing the GPAs from report card letter grades, the following numerical equivalents will be used:
      
      A = 5.00           B = 4.00           C = 3.00           D = 2.00           E = 0.00
   3. “Weighted” refers to courses receiving a numerical advantage in calculating GPA, an additional 0.5 or 1.0 points added to the grade value. Weighted credit will only be applied to courses that are eligible in PGCPS. Honors weight is effective school year 2016-2017 and after.
   4. The following grades are not included in GPA calculations: “F”, “I”, “N”, “P”, “UC”, “W”.
   5. GPAs are computed for secondary students in PGCPS as below.
      1. A quarterly GPA will appear on each quarterly report card. It is derived by performing the following procedure:
         1. ) The credit value of each course will be divided by the number of quarterly grades that the course receives during the year (quarterly credit).
         2. ) For each course, the quarterly credit will be multiplied by the grade points awarded for the weighted grades received.
         3. ) The sum of the products will be divided by the sum of quarterly credits.
      2. A final, end-of-year GPA is calculated for all courses completed during a particular school year and will appear on the final report card and the computer printed student record card. It is derived by performing the following procedure:
         1. ) The credit value of each course is multiplied by the grade points for the weighted grade received. This product is known as the quality points.
         2. ) The sum of the quality points is divided by the sum of the credits attempted.
      3. A weighted cumulative GPA is calculated for all completed courses bearing high school credit and appearing on the computer printed university style transcript and student record card (in the summary section), provided that the student’s history file is current. It is derived by performing the following procedure:
         1. ) The credit value of each completed course is multiplied by the grade points for the weighted grade received. This product is known as the quality points.
         2. ) The sum of the quality points is divided by the sum of all credits attempted. This includes grades awarded in middle school through the High School Credit for Middle School Coursework plan. It also includes day, evening, and summer school courses from initial entry into Grade 9 through dates of issuance of the computer printed student record card.
      4. A cumulative career GPA is calculated for all courses bearing high school credit.
9. Honor Roll
   1. The purpose of the honor roll program is to recognize and honor secondary students who have attained outstanding academic success and to provide positive reinforcement that inspires all students to strive even harder and perform at their highest level in all subjects.
   2. All schools will implement this honor roll system that recognizes students for high academic achievement at the end of each marking period during the school year. Schools are required to recognize students for performance at two levels: Principal's Honor Roll and Honor Roll.
   3. Students qualifying for each level of honor roll will be identified by the Department of Student Applications based on grades entered on student report cards in secondary schools. The following criteria will be used to identify students at each level:
      1. Principal's Honor Roll: Students with at least a 4.0 GPA.
      2. Honor Roll: Students with at least a 3.0 GPA.
10. Progress Reports
    1. An interim progress report must be issued to all students at the middle of each quarter. Teachers may also issue additional interim progress reports to indicate a significant change in student attainment of learning outcomes or to encourage students to continue their satisfactory progress. Further, individual schools may decide to issue interim progress reports with even greater frequency on their own but not using the student information system.
    2. Teachers must notify parents in writing when their child is in danger of failing at any time during the grading period, even if the Interim Progress Report period established by the school system has passed. Additional communication should be provided to parents if a student receives more than one letter grade reduction between quarters. Students will receive the grade earned, regardless of notification.
    3. If a parent indicates to a school or PGCPS employee that they wish to inspect their child's instructional materials or school work, the parent should be instructed to submit a written request to the school Principal. Once the written request is received, the Principal will arrange for a meeting with the parent to come into the school to review the instructional materials or school work, when available, in adherence to guidance provided to school Principals by the Division of Academics on the Steps to Follow for Parent/Guardian Review of Instructional Materials.
11. Report Cards
    1. Report cards for secondary schools will be distributed on a quarterly basis regardless of the scheduling model used.
    2. The following information will appear on the secondary report card:
       1. School Name
       2. Course Titles
       3. Course Grades Earned
       4. Assessment Status
       5. Student Grade Level
       6. Absences from School
       7. Tardiness from School
       8. Teachers' Names
       9. Comment
       10. Service-Learning Hours Status
12. Parent Conferences
    1. By the end of the first grading period, teachers in secondary schools will identify those students whose progress suggests that a parent conference should be conducted in the best interests of the student and their achievement and school performance. Teachers will recommend a conference to the parent and may refer the parent to the Professional School Counselor for scheduling.
    2. Parent conferences are encouraged at any time during the school year if the conference will enhance the parent's understanding of and support for their child's schoolwork and school performance.
    3. If a parent indicates to a school or PGCPS employee that they wish to inspect their child's instructional materials or school work, the parent should be instructed to submit a written request to the school Principal/designee. Once the written request is received, the Principal/designee will arrange for a meeting with the parent to come into the school to review the instructional materials, when available, in adherence to the Steps to Follow for Parent/Guardian Review of Instructional Materials attachment.
13. Outstanding Obligations for Education Materials
    
    The student or parent is responsible for paying for any educational materials such as textbooks or laptops assigned to the student that are not returned or are damaged. Reimbursement fees for lost or damaged educational materials collected by the school must be remitted to the PGCPS Accounting Office. At the end of each school year, school staff will provide notification to the parent that an obligation is owed. For students who are on Free and Reduced Meals, parents may request a fee waiver for a portion of the cost. Report cards and final grades may not be withheld due to outstanding financial obligations. PGCPS strongly encourages all financial obligations to be fulfilled before a student's senior year.
14. Students Receiving Special Education Services
    1. Federal law requires that Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams develop IEPs for all students who receive special education and related services. The IEP goals and objectives are based on student needs and should be designed to allow the student to progress in the general education curriculum, as appropriate, with the identified supports and accommodations.
    2. Teachers will implement the accessibility features and accommodations that have been documented in the student's IEP. Accommodations and Accessibility Features must be selected on the basis of the individual student's needs and must be used consistently for daily instruction and local and state mandates. The Maryland Assessment, Accessibility, and Accommodations Policy Manual provides guidance for selecting the appropriate accommodation. The student shall not receive a lower grade on class assignments, projects, tests and quizzes as result of receiving their approved accommodation and modification documented in the student's IEP. If a student with a disability is in jeopardy of failing a subject, an IEP meeting must be held to review and revise the IEP as appropriate.
    3. There is no waiver for the physical education credit requirement. However, there are modifications one may make based on physical limitations or disabilities. Students may participate in a modified program of physical education based upon individual needs. This requires an individual program be adapted to assist students with any modifications necessary. This program would have to be approved by the physical education teacher, supervisor, and Adapted Physical Education Office for these modifications to be developed.
    4. Students with disabilities who are working toward a diploma will:
       1. Have access to instructional and assessment accommodations in both general and special education settings, as specified on the IEP, to allow them to progress in the general education curriculum;
       2. Receive grades based on progress in the general curriculum, with accommodations, as identified on the IEP;
       3. Receive the same report card as is used in general education; and
       4. Receive a report of progress related to IEP goals and objectives, in addition to the report card.
    5. General and special educators who are teaching in a co-taught class will jointly determine the grades for students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
    6. If the special educator or related service provider is the designated primary instructor for a subject, they will determine the grade in that subject area.
    7. Students with significant cognitive disabilities, who are working toward a Maryland Certificate of Program Completion, shall be instructed, assessed and graded on alternate academic outcomes that are linked to the Maryland College and Career Ready State Standards requiring substantial adaptation and modification of grade- level content in the general education curriculum. Students will receive a report of progress related to IEP goals and objectives in addition to the report card.
15. Students Receiving English Language Development (ELD) Services
    1. Title III of the Every Student Succeeds Act requires that Multilingual Learners (MLs) make progress toward their English language proficiency goals, attain English proficiency, and meet the same rigorous state academic content and student achievement standards expected of all students.
    2. Teachers will implement the accommodations documented in the student's Accommodations Documentation for MLs. Accommodations must be selected based on the individual student's English proficiency level and must be used consistently for daily instruction and local and state-mandated assessments (Maryland Accommodations Manual (MSDE)).
    3. Students receiving ELD services will:
       1. Have access to instructional modifications and assessment accommodations in both the general education and ELD classrooms, as specified in the Accommodations Documentation for ML students, to allow them to make academic progress in both settings.
       2. Receive grades based on performance on activities and classroom assessments appropriate to the language proficiency level of the student. MLs cannot receive a failing grade based solely on their English proficiency.
       3. Be provided opportunities to practice and receive feedback before any graded assignment or assessment, enabling them to confidently demonstrate their learning.
       4. Receive the same report card as is used in general education.
    4. Content area teachers and ELD teachers must collaborate throughout the quarter and determine scaffolds and linguistics supports as appropriate.
16. Transfer Students - Students Entering PGCPS From Out of District
    1. This administrative procedure in its entirety is applicable to transfer students.
    2. Students must attend a PGCPS high school for one (1) full semester preceding graduation to receive a high school diploma from the newly attended school. Exceptions may be made if this creates undue hardship for a transferring student or special education student in a state-approved, non-public program. The Superintendent/designee may arrange to have credits transferred back to a student's prior high school for the student to graduate from the prior high school. This option would have to be approved by the prior school or school system.
    3. Accredited/Approved School Transfers
       1. For students who transfer into PGCPS from an accredited/approved school during a marking period, the classroom teacher will average any officially documented grades from the accredited/approved school with grades earned in PGCPS for a similar course to determine a marking period grade. These circumstances may require a grade override for which documentation must be on file. (See Administrative Procedure 5116)
       2. For students entering PGCPS with quarter and final grades from an accredited/approved school, PGCPS grade and/or transcript managers will record the grades and weights as earned from the other school system where equivalents are available in PGCPS (see Grading Elements above). Where PGCPS equivalents are not available, grade and/or transcript managers may consult with the school Principal to identify the nearest available equivalent. Courses that earn high school credit are only those courses approved by PGCPS and for which all prerequisites are met. For example, plus and minus signs are not available in the student information system so the letter grade only may be recorded; final grades are reported as letter grades. PGCPS personnel cannot alter or make annotations to official transcripts provided by other accredited/approved schools or school systems. As the record may look different, parents and students are encouraged to submit the transcripts for each school system attended when providing records to other entities.
       3. Under the direction of the Office of Professional School Counseling, schools will update the records of each student who enters the school system without quarter grades as best they can with the available information or per the N grade process below. It will be the responsibility of the school registrar to request the student records including an official transcript from the sending school. The Professional School Counselor will then award grades based on the official transcript review. After a thorough search, if no grades can be located then the student may be registered in accordance with Administrative Procedure 5111.
       4. Transfer students do not have grade entry through a grade change process. The transcript manager is responsible for entering final grade data received from the Professional School Counselor after they have identified the equivalent courses for PGCPS on the pramming sheet. If the student transfers mid-year, the grade manager adds quarter grades for quarters that have already passed. If the transfer is mid-quarter, the classroom teacher in the same content area and course level averages the grades from the sending school with the grades from the class that the student is joining. In all cases for transfer students, original records from the sending school must be filed without annotation in the student cumulative folder.
       5. The N grade may be used for transfer students only when grades cannot be obtained. The enrollment date determines the action taken to enter grades for the transfer student (see chart below). For any student receiving a final grade of N, the Professional School Counselor must determine if the course should be repeated to meet graduation requirements. The final grade N has zero credit value.
          
          Example of N for Year Long Course:
          
          

          	Quarter 1		Quarter 2		Quarter 3		Quarter 4		Final Grade
          	Progress Report	Quarter Grade	Progress Report	Quarter Grade	Progress Report	Quarter Grade	Progress Report	Quarter Grade
          Enrolls after 1st quarter and be- fore 2nd quarter progress report grades publish	N (entered by Grade Manager)	N (entered by Grade Manager)	(published from grade book)	D (published from grade book)	(published from grade book)	B (published from grade book)	(published from grade book)	B (published from grade book)	C
          Enrolls 2nd quarter after progress report grades publish	N (entered by Grade Manager)	N (entered by Grade Manager)	N (entered by Grade Manager)	N (overridden by teacher)	(published from grade book)	B (published from grade book)	(published from grade book)	B (published from grade book)	N
          Enrolls 3rd quarter before progress report grades publish	N (entered by Grade Manager)	N (entered by Grade Manager)	N (entered by Grade Manager)	N (entered by Grade Manager)	(published from grade book)	B (published from grade book)	(published from grade book)	B (published from grade book)	N
          Enrolls 3rd quarter after progress report grades publish	N (entered by Grade Manager)	N (entered by Grade Manager)	N (entered by Grade Manager)	N (entered by Grade Manager)	N (entered by Grade Manager)	N (overridden by teacher)	(published from grade book)	B (published from grade book)	N
          Enrolls 4th quarter before progress report grades publish	N (entered by Grade Manager)	N (entered by Grade Manager)	N (entered by Grade Manager)	N (entered by Grade Manager)	N (entered by Grade Manager)	N (entered by Grade Manager)	(published from grade book)	B (published from grade book)	N
          Enrolls 4th quarter after progress report grades publish	N (entered by Grade Manager)	N (entered by Grade Manager)	N (entered by Grade Manager)	N (entered by Grade Manager)	N (entered by Grade Manager)	N (entered by Grade Manager)	N (entered by Grade Manager)	N (overridden by teacher)	N

          
          

          Example of N for First Semester Course Transfer student Quarter 1 Quarter 2     Progress Report Quarter Grade Progress Report Quarter Grade Final Grade Enrolls 1st quarter before progress report grades publish   (published from grade book) D (published from grade book)   (published from grade book) B (published from grade book) C Enrolls 1st quarter after progress report grades publish N (entered by Grade Manager) N (overridden by teacher)   (published from grade book) B (published from grade book) N Enrolls 2nd quarter before progress report grades publish N (entered by Grade Manager) N (entered by Grade Manager)   (published from grade book) B (published from grade book) N Enrolls 2nd quarter after progress report grades publish N (entered by Grade Manager) N (entered by Grade Manager) N (entered by Grade Manager) N (overridden by teacher) N

          
          

          Example of N for Second Semester Course Transfer student Quarter 3 Quarter 4     Progress Report Quarter Grade Progress Report Quarter Grade Final Grade Enrolls 3rd quarter before progress report grades publish   (published from grade book) D (published from grade book)   (published from grade book) B (published from grade book) C Enrolls 3rd quarter after progress report grades publish N (entered by Grade Manager) N (overridden by teacher)   (published from grade book) B (published from grade book) N Enrolls 4th quarter before progress report grades publish N (entered by Grade Manager) N (entered by Grade Manager)   (published from grade book) B (published from grade book) N Enrolls 4th quarter after progress report grades publish N (entered by Grade Manager) N (entered by Grade Manager) N (entered by Grade Manager) N (overridden by teacher) N

          
          
          
       6. Transfer grades where the grading scale is different from PGCPS will be converted to PGCPS equivalencies. (For example, when a student arrives with a transfer grade of 65 and the report card indicates that 65 is a Failing grade (E/F), the student's grade is converted to an E in PGCPS.)
       7. The grades from the originating school are included in the calculation of the cumulative grade point average.
       8. PGCPS does not record the final grades from sending elementary or middle schools on the PGCPS student information system with the exception of high school credit courses.
    4. Non-Accredited or Unapproved School Transfers
       1. Students who transfer into PGCPS from non-accredited or unapproved schools that do not hold a Certificate of Approval from their State Board of Education or private accreditation will not be granted credit unless they pass a subject area test administered through the Department of Testing, Research and Evaluation. Subject area tests have limited availability.
       2. Professional School Counselors must contact the Department of Testing, Research and Evaluation staff to schedule tests.
    5. International Transfers: Only the counselors of the International Student Admissions and Enrollment Office (ISAEO) evaluate international student records for grade level and the awarding of high school credit.
    6. A parent who desires to enroll a child in PGCPS from home schooling shall complete the Home-Schooling Transfer form and have the form endorsed by the Home-Schooling Office. The parent will take the completed Home-Schooling Transfer form to enroll the student in public school. (See Administrative Procedure 5113.5)
    7. Students who have taken online courses without pre-approval must provide an official transcript and a description of the online courses to the Professional School Counselor who must send a request for review with the official transcript and description to the appropriate department within the Division of Academics before credit can be granted to the student.
    8. The Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission encourages school systems to assist students who transfer as a result of parents' military orders. In circumstances where a student must transfer before final grades are posted, the parent or student over 18 years of age may submit military orders as evidence for consideration.
    9. Questions about transfer students’ grades should be referred to the Office of Professional School Counselors.
17. Dropped Courses
    1. When a student withdraws from a credit-bearing course on or after the first day of the beginning of a course, Form PS-141 (Course Withdrawal form) must be completed in all cases.
    2. A student may not withdraw from a course after 20 school days in a year-long course (ten (10) school days in a semester course). Exceptional cases will be referred to the school Principal for review and final determination.
    3. If a student drops a course within the first 20 school days in a year-long course (ten (10) school days in a semester course), there will be no record of the course or grade on any official school system documents.
    4. In exceptional cases where the school Principal has determined that a student may withdraw from a course after the 20th school day (ten (10) school days in a semester course), the school Principal/designee will complete the Course Withdrawal Request form, PS-141 and the grade recorded will be a “W”.
    5. Grades from dropped courses may be transferred by teachers only to new courses of the same content area and course level.
18. Repeated Courses
    1. Except in specific cases such as most electives, if a student repeats a high school credit-bearing course then the higher grade attained will be the grade of record.
    2. If a student repeats a course, school personnel must go into the student information system and set the first course's earned credit to zero, attempted credit to zero, and the flag to exclude to “yes,” then the first course is excluded from the GPA. The grade and the course remain on the transcript. The higher of the two (2) grades will be the grade of record. (Note: If the second attempt is a lower grade than the first attempt, school personnel will change the credit back to the first attempt for the course and the flag for the second attempt to “Yes” so that it is excluded from the GPA.)
    3. If a student has earned high school credit for a course taken and passed in middle school and/or high school, the course may not be repeated in high school without written consent from the parent. This written consent must be kept in the student's cumulative folder for future review if necessary.
    4. This administrative procedure does not require schools to accommodate students who desire to repeat courses during the school day. Courses may be repeated through a credit recovery or an online program opportunity. The Principal/designee should work with the student and Professional School Counselor to review all requests. The Principal/designee must give final approval to any student who requests or is in need of a repeat class. Refer to Administrative Procedure 5182 (Educational Online Program) for additional information.
19. Procedures for Grade Appeal - Authorization of Grade Change
    
    Challenging of report card grades must be appealed in writing within five (5) school days of the release of report cards by the parent. Appeals and Grade Change Authorization are addressed in AP 5116; please refer to that administrative procedure for details regarding these actions.
    
    
20. Printing and Requests for Reprints
    
    The Information Technology technician in each school will coordinate progress report and report card reprints with the Help Desk and the Help Desk will inform Student Applications. Requests for reprints must include the reason for the reprint, the area office for the school, and the preference for reprint by school or by grade level.

VI. Monitoring and Compliance

1. To ensure that the grading and reporting processes are applied consistently within schools, the following monitoring tools and processes will be utilized annually.
   1. Training for all school staff with grading responsibilities will be conducted through a SafeSchools module each school year. A record of staff participation will be provided to the Area Offices.
   2. Principals/designees will oversee a process by which an online or hard copy of the course of study/syllabus for each course is made available to parents by the end of the second week a class/course begins and a process by which a parent may inspect their child’s instructional materials.
   3. Principals/designees will utilize student information system reports to ensure that entry of numerical grades per week in the electronic gradebook for each student is in compliance with this administrative procedure.
   4. At the mid-way point and at the end of each quarter, Area Office staff will generate a report of all electronic gradebooks with no grades in the class work, independent assignments and/or assessment categories for Principal and teacher notification and generate a report of all grades for compliance with this administrative procedure.
   5. At the mid-way point and at the end of each quarter, Area Office staff will generate a report of all electronic gradebooks with the N grade to ensure final grade compliance with this administrative procedure.
   6. Refer to Administrative Procedure 5113 for monitoring and accountability processes that will be utilized to ensure compliance with the Student Attendance, Absence and Truancy procedure.
   7. Refer to Administrative Procedure 5116 for monitoring and accountability processes that will be utilized to ensure compliance with the Grade Change Authorization and Appeals procedure.

VII. Related Administrative Procedures

• Administrative Procedure 5111 - Registration and Withdrawal of Students
• Administrative Procedure 5111.2 - Admission of Students from Non-Approved or Non-Accredited Schools
• Administrative Procedure 5113 - Student Attendance, Absence, and Truancy
• Administrative Procedure 5113.5 - Home Schooling
• Administrative Procedure 5116 - Grade Change Authorization
• Administrative Procedure 5121.1 - Grading and Reporting for Elementary Schools, Early Childhood Through Grade Five
• Administrative Procedure 5121.2 - Grading and Reporting for Middle Schools, Grade Six Through Grade Eight
• Administrative Procedure 5125 - Individual Student School-Based Records
• Administrative Procedure 5128 - Selection of Valedictorians and Salutatorians
• Administrative Procedure 5182 - Educational Online Program
• Administrative Procedure 6150 - Student Enrollment in Courses and Educational Requirements and Options in Secondary Schools
• Administrative Procedure 6155 - Dual Enrollment Program
• Administrative Procedure 6186 - International High Schools: Admission, Grading and Reporting
• Administrative Procedure 10101 - Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook

VIII. Legal Reference

COMAR 13A.03.02.08

IX. Maintenance and Update of This Administrative Procedure

The Office of the Chief Academic Officer will be responsible for updating this administrative procedure as needed.

X. History

September 1, 2009     (Revised)

September 1, 2010     (Revised)

September 27, 2010   (Revised)

July 1, 2013               (Revised)

August 19, 2014        (Revised)

July 1, 2017               (Revised)

August 8, 2018          (Revised)

July 1, 2024               (Revised)

July 1, 2025               (Revised)

August 26, 2026      (Revised)

XI. Effective Date

August 26, 2026

Documents

• Administrative Procedure 5121.3 - Grading and Reporting for High Schools Grade 9 through Grade 12.pdf