Grading Policy Toolkit: Grading for Equity, Accuracy, and

Social-Emotional Well-being

Grades are the common language through which students, teachers, families, school leaders, field staff,
and other institutions communicate about students’ learning throughout the school year. Grades
provide feedback to students and families about academic progress, influence students’ motivation and
engagement in their learning, inform instructional and programmatic decisions, and shape
postsecondary outcomes.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NYCDOE issued new citywide grading policies designed to
promote equity, flexibility, and empathy in our grading practices for all students. As we support students
in their academic recovery, it is more important than ever to ensure that students’ grades accurately
represent their progress. The 2021-22 school year provides an opportunity for us to reflect on how
decisions about grading policies impact the learning experiences of all our students—especially those
most impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

This Grading Policy Toolkit (“Toolkit”) serves as a resource for school leaders, teachers, and field staff
regarding the NYCDOE’s grading policies and guides schools in making decisions that are grounded in
equity, accuracy, and the social-emotional well-being of students. In alignment with the vision for
culturally responsive-sustaining education, strong school-based grading policies have the power to
promote:

• Accuracy: Sharpen our focus on accurately measuring what we expect students to demonstrate
in their learning so that we maintain high expectations for all students;
• Equity: Minimize the effects of bias and eliminate practices that penalize students who have
been marginalized based on their race, culture, language, and/or ability; and
• Social-emotional well-being1: Contribute to a positive learning culture that promotes academic
risk-taking and social-emotional well-being and de-emphasizes both competition for grades and
grading based on factors beyond the scope of the classroom and beyond students’ control, such
as their proficiency level at the start of the school year, housing status, and access to study
space and Wi-Fi.

All elementary, middle, and high schools must have written grading policies which they review and
update annually. Well-documented grading policies facilitate discussion with students and families
about academic growth and support students and families in sharing ownership of their learning.
School-based grading policies should be developed in consultation with the school community and
grounded in the needs of their students. Grading policy documents may be organized in a variety of

1 These three pillars are adapted from Grading for Equity. Feldman, J. (2019).

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ways, depending on the extent to which schools’ grading policies are standardized at the school-,
department-, or course-level.

Schools must share a physical or electronic copy of their grading policies with students and families at
the beginning of the school year. Schools should also share grading policies at open houses, parent-
teacher conferences, on the school website, and through other touchpoints with families. Students and
families have the right to request the grading policy at any point in time, per the Student Bill of Rights
and the Parents’ Bill of Rights. Schools must translate their grading policies for families when needed.

School-based grading policies must describe the grading scales used, how grades are determined, and
the grading timelines. This Toolkit outlines the NYCDOE grading policies applicable to each of these
areas and the decisions schools must make in developing their grading policies. For each decision point,
the Toolkit provides guiding questions that invite reflection on equity, accuracy, and social-emotional
well-being.

For questions or additional support, refer to the Elementary, Middle, and High School Academic Policy
Guides or contact your BCO academic policy and systems lead.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Making Decisions About Your Grading Policy ............................................................................................ 4

Part 1: How Grades Are Determined ........................................................................................................ 5

Key Decisions to Center Equity, Accuracy, and Students’ Social-Emotional Well-Being ....................... 5
Which measures will be included in calculating student grades? (school-, department-, or course-
level decision) ..................................................................................................................................... 5
How will overall grades be calculated? (school-, department-, or course-level decision) ................ 6
How will students have the opportunity to improve their grades? (school-, department-, or
course-level decision) ......................................................................................................................... 7
In addition to report cards and transcripts, how else will your school communicate about
academic progress with students and families? (school-, department-, or course-level decision) .. 8
Part 2: Grading Scales .............................................................................................................................. 10

Special Marks ....................................................................................................................................... 10

Parent/Guardian Choice....................................................................................................................... 11
Key Decisions to Center Equity, Accuracy, and Students’ Social-Emotional Well-Being ..................... 12
Which of the NYCDOE's grading scale(s) will be used for marking period and final grades?
(school-, department-, or course-level decision) .............................................................................12
What is the minimum grade students can receive for marking period or final grades? For
assignments? (school-, department-, or course-level decision) ......................................................13
Which special marks can be used for marking period and final grades, and how will they be used?
(school-, department-, or course-level decision) .............................................................................14
What grading scale(s) will be used for individual assignments? (school-level decision).................15
Part 3: Timelines ...................................................................................................................................... 16

Key Decisions to Center Equity, Accuracy, and Students’ Social-Emotional Well-Being ..................... 16
How many times per year will students receive final grades? How many report cards will students
receive each term (marking periods)? (school-level decision) ........................................................16
How will students be expected to complete late/missing work? (school-, department-, or course-
level decision) ...................................................................................................................................16
How will grade entry be managed at the end of each term? (school-level decision) .....................17
Grading Policy Checklist ........................................................................................................................... 19
Appendix A: Important Terms ................................................................................................................. 21
Appendix B: Grade Entry Checklist .......................................................................................................... 22
Appendix C: Grading Scale Marks ............................................................................................................ 24
Appendix D: Sample Email for Parent/Guardian Option to Replace Final Passing Grades .................... 27
Appendix E: Additional Resources ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 28

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 GRADING POLICY TOOLKIT

M AKING DECISIONS ABOUT YOUR GRADING POLICY

MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT YOUR GRADING POLICY

Decisions about grading policies and practices should be made with an awareness of the power grades
have in shaping concepts of students as “good” or “not good” at a given subject or at school in general.
Grades are not only a reflection of student performance but can be self-fulfilling prophecies —
influencing future student performance either directly through their psychological impact or indirectly
through instructional decisions, placement in courses, and guidance on post-secondary options.

Decisions about grading policies and practices must acknowledge two key functions that grades serve:

• During the learning process, grades can serve as timely feedback about a student’s degree of
proficiency at a given point in time, and they are subject to change as students grow in
proficiency. Students report increased motivation when grades are considered as marks of
where the student is in relation to course goals at a given point in time—rather than static,
unchanging identities. Labels such as “A student,” “C student,” “struggling student,” and “gifted
student” limit our conception of students, and we should avoid them. Growth mindset holds
that wherever a learner is on the journey to independent proficiency, there is no telling what
the student may ultimately achieve given time and productive practice.
• On a transcript, grades serve as credentials that open up or close off opportunities, now or in
the future. Grades can determine what schools, classes, clubs, teams, scholarships, and other
activities are available to students. Because grades can impact a student’s access to educational
opportunities, it is vital that schools demonstrate a clear commitment to transparency, fairness,
accuracy, and equity in grading policies and practices. Schools should also demonstrate
responsiveness to learners’ and families’ concerns about grades by including the chance for
meaningful, ongoing dialogue across all members of the school community.

The following sections outline the decisions required to develop a school-based grading policy, including
relevant policies, guiding questions, and considerations for equity, accuracy, and social-emotional well-
being. These decisions are organized into three categories: decisions about how grades are determined,
decisions about grading scales, and decisions about timelines. Use this Toolkit as a resource for
developing, reviewing, and continuously improving your school-based grading policy. A checklist of key
decisions is provided in the Grading Policy Checklist.

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PART 1: HOW GRADES ARE DETERMINED

PART 1: HOW GRADES ARE DETERMINED

Schools have discretion in deciding which specific measures of performance are factored into students’
grades. Schools must make determinations of passing or failing based on how well students
comprehend the subject matter, concepts, content, and skills addressed in each course or subject. To
that end, schools should provide students multiple chances to demonstrate their mastery of skills and
content knowledge. Students should have the opportunity to reflect their progress across multiple
modalities to provide teachers with an accurate picture of what they know and understand. By varying
the types of assessments used over the course of the school year, schools can get a complete picture of
what a student knows and understands, and how the student has progressed.

Schools must establish procedures for documenting how each students’ grades were calculated,
including the collection and maintenance of teacher gradebooks. These records may be needed for
future reference in case of questions from students or families regarding students’ grades or as
documentation for correcting data entry errors.

After considering a student’s entire body of work in each subject area, schools must award students’
grades primarily based on academic progress and performance. In all courses, including physical
education (PE), science labs, and electives, students must be graded based on how well they have
learned the subject matter, concepts, content, and skills in that course.

Attending school, participating in class, and demonstrating understanding are all essential components
of student learning, and school communities must make every effort to ensure that students attend
school, with a goal of every student, every day. When students attend school consistently, they have the
greatest opportunity to make progress, receive support from their teachers, and demonstrate their
learning. Students’ grades must reflect the extent to which they have met the learning outcomes for
their courses. Consistent with the 2020-21 grading policy for remote and blended learning, schools may
not include attendance as a factor calculated into students’ academic grades.

Schools are discouraged from including other non-mastery measures, such as behavior, preparedness,
and participation, in students’ grades. While providing students feedback on non-mastery measures is
important, these measures are highly susceptible to bias. Schools are encouraged to award a separate
grade for these skills to distinguish them from the student’s proficiency of course subject matter,
concepts, content, and skills.

Key Decisions to Center Equity, Accuracy, and Students’ Social-Emotional Well-

Being
Which measures will be included in calculating student grades? (school-, department-, or
course-level decision)

Grading policies must outline which measures will be incorporated into marking period and final grades.
Measures should be chosen based on whether they will accurately represent students’ learning.
Marking period grades (also referred to as report card grades) are interim marks which provide status
updates to students, families, and other stakeholders on the student’s proficiency of the course content

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at that period in time. Final grades are awarded at the end of the course and represent a student’s
ultimate level of proficiency in a course.

Considerations for accuracy, equity, and social-emotional well-being:

• Grading student work for understanding of concepts and mastery of skills is different from
grading based on completion of assignments alone. When student work is graded based on how
well students understand the content and perform in the subject, both the students and
teachers are receiving valuable information about how well the students are doing.
• In deciding whether to grade homework, keep in mind that completion of and performance on
homework reflects students’ work habits, home environment, and access to other people who
may assist them. Students have unequal access to out-of-school time and resources to support
homework completion. Consider giving feedback on homework, rather than grading it.
• Each piece of graded work should correspond to a course learning goal. If an assignment does
not correspond to a stated learning goal, it measures students’ compliance rather than their
learning. Graded work that is not associated with learning goals inflates or deflates students’
grades. Students are better served by extra time to further explore the content and to engage in
active practice of core skills.
• While academic behaviors are important supports for learning, grades that reflect student
behavior are prone to bias. Teachers may choose to give ungraded feedback on these behaviors
to maintain the accuracy of students' grades as markers of academic progress on course goals.
• Ensure that grades for standards-aligned work are not impacted by non-mastery factors, such as
marking off for lateness. In addition to making grades less accurate, adding these factors directly
into student work makes planning for instruction more difficult, because students may have
higher achievement than what is evidenced in the grade book.
• Classwork, active practice, or formative feedback represent what students know during the
learning journey; they are not strong indicators of what students will know and be able to do at
the end of the learning journey. Summative assessment tasks should make up the final grade
rather than formative assignments.
• Given the varied administration schedule of the Regents exams over the course of the COVID-19
pandemic, schools may not use Regents exam scores as a factor in student grades.

How will overall grades be calculated? (school-, department-, or course-level decision)

When determining a student’s grade at a given time (either marking period or final grades), teachers
must take grades on individual assignments and combine them to create an overall grade that
communicates to students and families how the student is doing in the course. Teachers must
determine how assignments are to be weighted and whether they will be grouped into categories which
are themselves weighted.

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Considerations for accuracy, equity, and social-emotional well-being:

• Not all assignments must be incorporated into the overall grade. If an assignment is purely
formative, consider a low weight or no weight so that students focus on the feedback provided
rather than the impact on final grades. Students are more likely to take risks when the stakes
are low. Incorporating grades that are not summative also makes overall grades less accurate as
they weight the student’s journey and not just their eventual proficiency.
• Consider grouping grades by standards or objectives, rather than by type of work product (e.g.,
quiz, midterm, and final project). Providing students and families with sub-grades by objective
allows them to better understand areas in which students are performing better or may need
more support and in which areas. Weighting standards also communicates which standards are
the most essential to success in a subject. Feedback and grades over time on specific learning
goals maximize transparency and provide more directed support.
• When possible, teachers should offer assessments in multiple modalities to ensure that the
method of expression does not interfere with a student’s demonstration of their proficiency.
• To honor the learning process of building proficiency over time, consider weighting more recent
work more heavily. Weighting more recent work better reflects a student’s end-of-term mastery
of course concepts and skills. Otherwise, a student who starts off with lower skills will end with
a lower grade than a student who starts off with higher skills even if the students reach the
same proficiency by the end of the course.
• Final course grades should reflect the student’s ultimate level of proficiency at the end of the
course. Final grades that are an average of marking period grades penalize students who do not
demonstrate proficiency from the beginning of the course.

How will students have the opportunity to improve their grades? (school-, department-, or
course-level decision)

Learning is a process and grades represent a snapshot in time of a student’s proficiency. Allowing
students the ability to continue to improve their grades provides motivation, increases students’
learning, and improves the accuracy of final grades.

Considerations for accuracy, equity, and social-emotional well-being:

• Instead of rewarding “extra credit” points, consider offering students chances to improve their
proficiency and their grades via multiple assessments of a given learning goal, and offering
revision/re-take opportunities. Replacing extra credit with opportunities to demonstrate
progress ensures that students’ grades are based on evidence of what they know and can do,
rather than completion of a specific task (whether for credit or extra credit). A higher grade then
indicates a higher level of proficiency, leading to a more bias-resistant and accurate grade-
improvement practice.
• Allowing students to re-do assignments emphasizes to them that they have control over their
learning. Depending on the assignment type, this might mean revising the work, completing the
work in a different way, or a new assessment specifically targeted at areas where the student

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did not initially demonstrate proficiency. Consider including time for revisions in the course of
the day so all students have equal access to this opportunity.
• If students are re-assessed, consider which assessment (or which parts of each assessment)
most accurately represents the student’s eventual proficiency. Rather than just averaging the
two assessments, replacing the score or parts of the score is a more valid measurement of
student achievement.
• When students miss class time, teachers should give students reasonable chances to make up
missed work before final grades are entered in STARS.

In addition to report cards and transcripts, how else will your school communicate about
academic progress with students and families? (school-, department-, or course-level decision)

While grades are one way to ensure that students and families know how students are doing in class,
academic progress is more nuanced than a single mark can represent. A strong relationship between
teachers and their students and families is built upon consistent, positive, transparent communication.

Considerations for accuracy, equity, and social-emotional well-being:

• From the start of the term, share standards-aligned learning goals in student-friendly language.
As students begin a task, take time for dialogue, linking the task purpose to learning goals and
describing or providing criteria for success to ensure students clearly understand the purpose of
each task and what is expected of them. Then provide timely feedback to students, based on the
stated learning goals and criteria.
• Rubrics that describe criteria for success on course goals in clear, age-appropriate language can
both support learning and measure progress across time. Rubrics can be most helpful when they
offer a roadmap for success on course learning goals and the same rubrics are used to guide and
measure progress over time, rather than using task-specific rubrics. This allows students to see
their progress clearly, as their proficiency improves over time. Consider using ungraded
glow/grow feedback early in the term and scoring on a rubric as the term progresses.
• Providing feedback and grades based on clearly stated learning goals and criteria reduces the
power of implicit bias as a factor in grading.
• Invite students and families to offer meaningful input and engage in decision making about
how students will learn and demonstrate proficiency on course goals—and to co-create learning
goals with teachers. Providing students and families with “draft report cards” before the end of
term increases transparency. Pair this with time for students to improve their competency
around core learning objectives and to demonstrate their learning to improve their grades. This
allows for more equitable and accurate final grades.
• Student-led conferences offer learners a space to share their work with their families, to explain
course goals and criteria in their own words, and to explain how their course work is evidence of
their learning. Student-led conferences can offer valuable opportunities for reflection, student
ownership of their learning, and clear communication about how learning relates to course
grades. Consider scheduling student-led conferences in place of parent-teacher conferences.

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• Recognizing student excellence via honor rolls and class rank can be detrimental to learners who
find it more difficult to reach academic success, often for reasons well beyond their control. This
has been especially pronounced during the pandemic. Systems for celebrating student
excellence can include recognizing meaningful progress as well as high grades, meaningful
contributions to the school or wider community, and demonstrations of social justice and
integrity. This affords schools an opportunity to celebrate what they most value and allows
students of all identities to be celebrated for a variety of strengths they offer and demonstrate.

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PART 2: GRADING SCALES

PART 2: GRADING SCALES

All grading policies must specify what grading scale is used, the minimum passing grade a student must
receive, and the lowest grade that the school can award to students. Per NYCDOE policy, the minimum
passing grade a student may receive must equate to 65.

Schools may choose to award grades using one or more NYCDOE-approved grading scales, based on
their grading policies. Grading scales available to schools include, but are not limited to, numeric grades
(100-point scale), alpha grades (A-F), and performance levels (1, 2, 3, or 4). Each grade has a citywide
pass/fail equivalent (and, for alpha grades, a numeric equivalent which is used in the calculation of GPA),
whereby a passing grade equates to earning credit in the course. While schools are not restricted to
using specific grading scales for certain types of courses, schools should consider students’ academic
needs and postsecondary goals in selecting grading scales. A table of all available grading scales is
located in Appendix C of this document and at the back of the Elementary, Middle, and High School
Academic Policy Guides.

While schools may define their grading policies at the school, department, grade, or course level,
schools are encouraged to use consistent grading scales across courses. Where schools decide to use
multiple grading scales, they should be clearly explained in the school’s grading policy so students and
families are able to gauge the student’s level of proficiency in any subject at any time.

Schools may not have different grading policies for different student populations. Grading policies must
apply to all students equally, including students with disabilities participating in both standard and
alternate assessment and multilingual/English language learners.

Special Marks
Grading policies must explain when and how teachers may award special marks for those rare situations
where a student has not had the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of course content due to
extenuating circumstances (‘NX’ or ‘NL’) or fails to attend a course (‘NS’). Schools must also document in
their grading policies how students can complete outstanding work to earn credit for the course, after
receiving these special marks.

The following policies apply to these special marks:

• Course in progress (‘NX’)2: Schools must award this mark when a student has a documented,
extreme extenuating circumstance that prevents them from completing the course in its
established timeframe (for example, surgery or death in the family). The student’s family should
provide the school with a brief letter explaining the circumstances that prevented the student
from completing course requirements during that term. Students have until the end of the
following term (not including summer) to complete the course. The school should create a

2 The description of ‘NX’ changed from ‘Incomplete’ to ‘Course in Progress’ as a result of grading policies due to COVID-19.

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detailed plan for the student that specifies the timeline and work necessary to earn a final grade
and credits. The school will award a final grade and credit using a transcript update.
• New or Recent Admit (‘NL’): Schools must award this mark when a student enrolls in a course
after it starts and may have missed assignments needed to generate a complete course grade
for the given marking period. In this case, an ‘NL’ may be awarded since the student did not
have the opportunity to demonstrate their mastery of the course content. Students have until
the end of the following term (not including summer) to complete the course. The school should
create a detailed plan for the student that specifies the timeline and work necessary to earn a
final grade and credits. The school will award a final grade and credit using a transcript update.
• No Show (‘NS’): Schools have discretion in using this mark. An ‘NS’ has a numeric equivalent of
45, which is lower than the numeric equivalent of an ‘F’ (55). If schools choose to use this mark,
it should be reserved for the most egregious situations where a student fails to attend a course
and does not participate in any of the work from which a grade can be derived. Neither long-
term absentees (LTA) nor students receiving hospital or home instruction should be assigned an
‘NS’ mark.
In addition to the marks allowed in STARS, schools may choose to use their own scale or marks for
student work in their own grading systems. STARS is the system of record and schools must choose one
of the established scales for marking periods and final grades, which are available to families in their
NYC Schools Account (NYCSA). However, schools may find that it is more appropriate for their school
community to use their own scales on individual assignments. Schools may also be interested in using
one of the NYCDOE scales but adding additional special marks or comments, such as those that might
distinguish between students who made no attempt as opposed to students who attempted but did not
demonstrate proficiency. Schools using different grading scales for individual assignments and marking
period or final grades will need to communicate to students and families how these grading scales are
related.

Parent/Guardian Choice
When schools transitioned to remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NYCDOE
implemented the parent/guardian choice policy which gave parents/guardians the option to replace
their student’s passing final grades with a ‘P’ (pass) or ‘CR’ (credit) to avoid penalizing students for a
drop in performance for factors beyond their control. This policy remains in effect for middle and high
school students to provide safeguards as students and families continue to recover from the COVID-19
pandemic and manage other out-of-school challenges. Parents3 have the final say in this determination;
students need not meet specific criteria and schools may not make the decision on behalf of the
parent/family. Parents may apply this option to all of their student’s passing courses or specific passing
courses (e.g., math only). This option is only available after the student has received a passing final
grade in the course; it does not apply to marking period grades.

3 The term “parent” means the student’s parent(s) or guardian(s), or any person(s) in a parental or custodial relationship to the
student, or the student, if they are an emancipated minor or have reached 18 years of age.

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Schools must determine parents’ preferred option as follows:

• Schools must first calculate students’ final grades using their existing scales and enter them into
STARS.
• After issuing final report cards, schools must inform all parents/guardians of their right to select
a grade of ‘P’ or ‘CR’ (based upon the student’s grade level) for their passing courses and
provide parents specific instructions for submitting their requests to designated school staff.
Schools must invite parents to discuss their preference and decision with school staff (see
Appendix D: Sample Email to Parents and Guardians about Parent Choice Option).
• Schools may set their own deadlines for parents to decide if they want to convert any of their
student’s passing final grades. However, families may choose to convert students’ high school
grades to ‘CR’ or revert them back to the original grade at any point before they graduate or are
otherwise discharged. Middle schools should keep in mind that parents of students in grade 8
may need to be given less time to change their students’ passing final grades issued in June so
that the student’s grade is finalized before they move to the next grade/school.
• Schools must honor and document all requests received, whether the request was submitted in
writing or through other means. This documentation may include a copy of an email from the
parent/guardian, a documented conversation between the parent/guardian and a school staff
member (signed and dated by school staff member), or other records that clearly indicate the
parent/guardian’s name, student’s name, grade preference by course, and date.
• Schools must update students’ final grades and provide families with updated report cards and
transcripts within 30 days of the receipt of the change request. High schools must prioritize
making these updates for graduating students within 10 days so that their final transcripts are
accurate. Final grades may be updated using the following methods:
o Marking Period Grades Screen
o Electronic Grade Gathering (EGG) File (middle and high school)
o Transcript Update (middle and high school)
• Note: Performing a transcript update does not change the final grade on the report
card; use one of the other above methods if an updated report card is required.

Key Decisions to Center Equity, Accuracy, and Students’ Social-Emotional Well-

Being
Which of the NYCDOE's grading scale(s) will be used for marking period and final grades?
(school- or department-level decision)

Schools may choose to award grades using one or more NYCDOE-approved grading scales, based on
their grading policies. Grading scales available to schools include, but are not limited to, numeric grades
(0, 10–100), alpha grades (F-A), and performance levels (1, 2, 3, or 4). Schools are encouraged to use
consistent grading scales for both marking period and final grades to provide students and families with
clarity and accuracy.

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Considerations for accuracy, equity, and social-emotional well-being:

• How many gradations do you need in your grading scale to accurately and meaningfully reflect
differences in student performance? While the 100-point scale offers many gradations,
students' grades frequently fluctuate with each assignment, and across teachers. As students
navigate living and learning during COVID-19, gaining and losing points may be stressful for
some students and not reflect their true learning. Consider a less granular grading scale, such as
‘1-4’ or ‘A-F.’
• Which scale will be the easiest for all stakeholders to understand? The scale used should make it
clear how a student performed. It should also be possible to communicate what individual
gradations in a scale mean. For example, how would a teacher explain to students and families
the differences between “Meets standards” and “Above Standards”? How would a guidance
counselor explain the differences between an 83 and an 84?
• Which scale will support the culture of your school? Scales with fine gradations have more of a
tendency toward comparison and competition because they are more suited toward ranking
students even when those rankings may not be meaningful. Broader grading categories allow for
clarity about what is most meaningful to students while keeping the focus on learning rather
than on grades (e.g., “Am I close to grade-level proficiency? Meeting it? Exceeding it?”).

What is the minimum grade students can receive for marking period or final grades? For
assignments? (school- or department-level decision)

Grades reflect students’ understanding and command of content, their progression through a course or
subject, and their mastery of skills at a given point in time. As such, assignment grades, marking period
grades, and final grades should reflect what students know and are able to do at those times. As a
reminder, the minimum passing grade a student can receive must have a numeric equivalent of 65. The
minimum failing mark a student can receive is often based upon the selected grading scale. However,
principals may set a grade minimum that is higher than the lowest mark in the grading scale. For
example, the principal at a school using the 100-point scale may set a school-wide assignment minimum
of 55 instead of 0. Doing so conveys to teachers and families that the student is not yet able to
demonstrate proficiency in the content/skill, but also prevents a failing mark from disrupting the
student’s ability to eventually earn a passing mark once they can demonstrate proficiency.

Considerations for accuracy, equity, and social-emotional well-being:

• Assigning a zero for an assignment implies that a student is not at all proficient. It is unusual for
students to have no knowledge or skill whatsoever. Assigning a higher minimum failing grade or
an alternate incomplete mark for individual assignments does not automatically allow a student
to pass and ensures that the student’s final grade is more reflective of their final proficiency.

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• Research shows that using zeros or low grades as punitive measures (e.g., to “send a message”)
does not motivate students.4 In addition to not accurately reflecting a student’s actual
proficiency, it also may not have the intended impact on student performance.
• The 0-100 scale includes 65 failing marks (0-64) and 36 passing marks (65-100). One zero on a
missing assignment may mean a student must make up 64 points in their average to get back to
a passing grade. Consider correcting for the traditional grading scale’s bias toward failing marks
by using a grading scale of 55-100, which includes 10 failing marks (55-64) and 36 passing marks
(65-100). This would also mean that to move from an ‘F’ (failing) to a ‘D’ (passing) would require
the same improvement (10 points) as to get from a ‘C’ to a ‘B’, for example.

Which special marks can be used for marking period and final grades, and how will they be
used? (school-level decision)

Schools may award special marks in situations where a student has not had the opportunity to
demonstrate mastery of course content due to extenuating circumstances (‘NX’ or ‘NL’) or fails to attend
a course (‘NS’). Marks of ‘NX’ and ‘NL’ have no numeric equivalents and are not associated with a
passing or failing grade. Students receiving these marks have not yet earned passing grades to be
awarded the credits associated with the course. An ‘NS’ is a failing mark with the numeric equivalent of
45 (lower than the numeric equivalent of an F, which is 55)

Considerations for accuracy, equity, and social-emotional well-being:

• How will marking period grades of ‘NX’ and ‘NL’ be factored into final grades? Courses providing
cumulative grades for each marking period can continue to use cumulative grades for the term.
However, if a student has an ‘NX’ for the marking period and the final grade is determined by
averaging marking periods, the teacher, department, or school must have a policy in place for
how to factor in ‘NX’ and ‘NL’, as they do not have numeric equivalents. Options include
recalculating the marking period grade based on available information or awarding an ‘NX’ or
‘NL’ for the class to allow the student the necessary time to complete the course when
appropriate.
• Consider awarding an ‘F’ or ‘NC’ mark instead of an ‘NS’ to students who have excessive
absences and little work. An ‘NS’ equates to 45, which is lower than an ‘F’ and equates to a 55.
Awarding an ‘NS’ is punitive as it negatively impacts a student’s GPA beyond an already failing
mark of ‘F’. This practice makes the student’s grade less accurate because it factors attendance
(a non-mastery measure) into a student’s grade. Punitive grading is likely demotivational and
can lead students to further distance themselves from school. 5 This approach acknowledges
factors leading to students’ low attendance, which are often caused by deep societal issues
beyond a student’s control that may have racial or socio-economic roots.

4 In Practical solutions for serious problems in standards-based grading, Guskey writes, “Instead of prompting greater effort,
low grades often cause students to withdraw from learning. To protect their self-images, many students regard the low grade
as irrelevant or meaningless. Others may blame themselves for the low grade but feel helpless to improve” (14).
5 Ibid.

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PART 2: GRADING SCALES

• What additional supports may be necessary for the student to complete the coursework in the
allotted timeframe (only applicable to ‘NX’ and ‘NL’ marks)?
• Consider tracking student progress over time on each course learning goal, rather than grouping
grades by work product such as classwork, quizzes, etc. Feedback and grades given throughout
the course on specific learning goals maximizes useful support and transparency.

What grading scale(s) will be used for individual assignments? (school-level decision)

Schools may choose a different grading scale for student work (homework, classwork, quizzes, test,
projects, etc.) than for marking period and final grades, and schools may even use their own grading
scales. For example, a course may use a pass/fail scale but individual assignments may be graded on a
100-point scale.

Considerations for accuracy, equity, and social-emotional well-being:

• Students and families should be able to understand performance on individual assessments

easily. If a school consistently uses a Beginning/Approaching/Meeting/Exceeding rubric, using
that same scale for assignments is likely easier than translating into another scale. Further, if
multiple learning objectives are assessed at once, it may be more helpful to have grades for
each of those objectives rather than a single grade that incorporates the various objectives.
• Schools may choose to use their own special marks to denote assignments that students have
not attempted to distinguish them from assignments that students attempted but did not yet
demonstrate proficiency.

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PART 3: TIMELINES

PART 3: TIMELINES

Schools determine the number of marking periods to include within a year, semester, trimester, or
cycle, depending on the term model they use in STARS. Schools must give at least two grades (marks) in
each course or subject per term.

A student’s final grade represents the work a student completed throughout the course and their level
of proficiency at the end of the course. The teacher of record determines the final grade in alignment
with the school’s grading policy. Final grades must be entered by the end of the term, and in some cases
may be entered up to 20 business days (or 4 weeks) after the end of the term for individual students
who need additional time. Schools may change a student’s final grade only in rare circumstances with
supporting evidence, as outlined on the required Transcript Update Form.

Key Decisions to Center Equity, Accuracy, and Students’ Social-Emotional Well-

Being
How many times per year will students receive final grades? How many report cards will
students receive each term (marking periods)? (school-level decision)

Schools determine term length for the whole school, but individual courses may have shorter lengths.
STARS allows schools to choose annual (one term), semester (two terms), trimester (three terms), and
cycle (four terms) for their term length. Within each term, schools must award students at least one
interim grade and one final grade in STARS.

Considerations for accuracy, equity, and social-emotional well-being:

• Courses may be shorter than a term, but they cannot be longer. If a school has a variety of
course lengths, their terms should align to the longest ones. Some courses, such as most core
courses, lend themselves to year-long models, while others, like some electives, may work
better in shorter time periods.
• Annual courses allow students the maximum time to continue to build and demonstrate their
capabilities throughout the school year. In an annual course, the final grade can represent a full
school year’s worth of learning and growth, giving students plenty of time to engage in the
learning journey.
• While many schools now allow students and families to access their grades on an ongoing basis
through online grading portals, it is important for schools to proactively provide grades on a
regular basis. Marking periods must be frequent enough to provide information that allows for
reflection and course correction when needed while also considering the time required for
grade entry.

How will students be expected to complete late/missing work? (school-, department-, or course-
level decision)

Schools must determine at what level late and missing work policies will be established. These policies
should ensure that final grades represent what students know and can do in a course while also

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PART 3: TIMELINES

supporting students in learning executive functioning skills. It must be decided how late assignments can
be, whether there are consequences for missing assignments or turning them in late, and what types of
assignments students can make up.

Considerations for accuracy, equity, and social-emotional well-being:

• Having school-wide or grade-wide policies on late/missing work lightens the cognitive load on
students. They will know what the expectations are without having to navigate a variety of
policies for each of their classes.
• Base grades on evidence of students’ proficiency levels, rather than on their completing a
specific amount of work. Build time into the school day for students to improve their
competency level. This might include finishing missing work, revising assignments, or extending
their knowledge of course content.
• Students who struggle to complete a backlog of course assignments due to joining a class late,
experiencing disruption and/or trauma, or for a host of logistical and social-emotional reasons
benefit from grades based on proficiency rather than on completion. If the student has
completed sufficient course work to show evidence of their learning, course grades can be
based on their demonstrated level of proficiency. This requires looking at student work for
evidence of proficiency, rather than marks for completion.
• Instead of factoring lateness into assignments themselves, consider assigning students separate
marks for their executive functioning skills that are not calculated into students’ final grades.
When students miss class time, teachers should give students reasonable chances to make up
missed work before final grades are entered in STARS. Attendance may not be a factor in
students’ grades, and students may not be denied credit based on lack of “seat time.”

How will grade entry be managed at the end of each term? (school-level decision)
Grade entry is a complex and time-sensitive process that requires coordination between administrators
and teachers across a school. Ensuring that all parties are aware of end-of-term processes is an
important component in efficient, accurate, equitable grading. For clarity, schools should communicate
to teachers the windows and deadlines for the following procedures:

1. The date by which teachers must submit their gradebooks for review.

2. The window of time in which these grades, which have still not been entered formally into
STARS, are checked and edited for accuracy before they are final.

3. The date by which grades must be entered into STARS as final. All grades and credits that are
already on students’ transcripts require a transcript update form, supporting documentation to
justify the transcript update, and principal approval to be adjusted.

4. The date by which entry is locked and grades appear in Student Profile and New York City
Schools Accounts (NYCSA). This must be no later than four weeks (or 20 days) after the end of
the term. This is the ‘To ARIS’ date.

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PART 3: TIMELINES

Considerations for accuracy, equity, and social-emotional well-being:

• Schools should have a plan to clearly communicate grading timeline expectations and remind all
teachers of the school-wide grading policies. Schools should clearly define procedures for
calculating and entering final grades in STARS in a timely manner. It is crucial that students have
received their final grades after they are entered so they understand their progress and can be
accurately programmed in the next term. Once final grades are entered in STARS, they cannot
be changed without completing a transcript update.
• Schools should manage carefully the grade entry process to avoid credit and grading errors that
will need to be corrected using transcript updates. Transcript updates are time consuming and
are heavily monitored and audited. To avoid this, create a timeline at the end of the term for
each of the steps, as described in Appendix B: Grade Entry Checklist.
• Allow time between the end date of the term and the date when marks are finalized. Doing so
provides teachers time to include late or missing work and check the calculation of grades
before the marks are finalized and saved on students’ transcripts. This is especially helpful for
schools that weigh some marking periods more heavily than others and schools that treat
marking periods as individual rather than cumulative marks.

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GRADING POLICY C HECKLIST

GRADING POLICY CHECKLIST

Review your grading policy and ensure that it answers all of the following questions.

How Grades Are Determined

□ Which measures will be included in calculating student grades?
□ How will overall grades be calculated?
□ How will students have the opportunity to improve their grades?
□ In addition to report cards and transcripts, how else will your school communicate about
academic progress with students and families?

Grading Scales
□ Which of the NYCDOE's grading scale(s) will be used for marking period and final grades?
□ What is the minimum grade students can receive for marking period or final grades? For
assignments?
□ Which special marks can be used for marking period and final grades, and how will they be
used?
□ What grading scale(s) will be used for individual assignments?

Timelines
□ How many times per year will students receive final grades? How many report cards will
students receive each term (marking periods)?
□ How will students be expected to complete late/missing work?
□ How will grade entry be managed at the end of each term?

Implementation
□ In which format(s) and through which communication channel(s) will the grading policy be
available to the school community, including students and families?
□ What is your timeline and process for annually reviewing and updating your school’s grading
policy?
□ For decisions made at the department or course level, what systems are in place for collecting,
reviewing, and disseminating these individual policies?
□ What is your system for ensuring that prior grading policies and copies of teachers’ gradebooks
are maintained for record-keeping?

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GRADING POLICY C HECKLIST

□ Which measures are used to make promotion decisions for each grade level? How do grades
relate to promotion decisions?
□ How will the grading policy be translated and disseminated within your school community, as
needed?
□ What opportunities do teachers have to share their individual grading policies within and across
teams? Are they reviewed annually or only when updated.

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APPENDIX A: IMPORTANT TERMS

APPENDIX A: IMPORTANT TERMS

Grades are a reflection of students’ understanding and command of content, their progression through
a course or subject, and their mastery of skills at a given point in time.

Grading policies outline when and how students receive feedback on their mastery of content and skills.
Schools can share these policies in one or more document(s). Schools are not required to use a specific
format when drafting their grading policies. The purpose of a grading policy is to allow students,
families, and teachers to have a mutual understanding of what specific grades mean. Schools may
establish grading policies at the school, department, grade, or course level, provided the school applies
its grading policies equitably to all students.

Term is the length of a course with one teacher, one syllabus, and a final grade and credit(s) earned.
Schools must designate a school-wide term model in STARS before the start of the school year. A
school’s designated term model defines the maximum length of any course experience that it may offer.
Schools cannot offer courses that span across multiple terms; courses must begin and end within one
term. The term model a school uses heavily influences course sequences, student programming, and
students’ progress to graduation.

Marking periods are intervals during a course when the teacher of record awards an interim mark,
which provide status updates to students, families, and other stakeholders.

Report card grades are indications of students’ progress toward proficiency of the courses’ learning
standards at a given point in time. These are grades that do not appear on the transcript. Report card
grades may be standalone or cumulative. They are also often called marking period grades.

Final grades (marks) are given at the end of the term, representing the work students completed over
their courses. Final grades should reflect the ultimate level of proficiency at the end of the course, as of
that point in time. This grade may also confer credit(s) when a course is credit-bearing. The teacher of
record determines the final mark in accordance with the school’s grading policies and the City and
State’s academic policies.

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APPENDIX B: GRADE E NTRY C HECKLIST

APPENDIX B: GRADE ENTRY CHECKLIST

All schools must enter at least one interim grade and a final report card grade in STARS, regardless of the
type of report card they use. Schools that do not use the use school-based report cards or only provide
narratives still must enter overall report card grades into STARS. 6 Use the following checklist as you
prepare to enter final marks in STARS:

 Identify who at your school is responsible for entering grades in STARS and who at your school is
responsible for overseeing grade entry.
 This may include identifying key staff members to collect, review, and enter grades in STARS.

Best practice: Use STARS Admin Custom Reports 1.17, 1.23, and 1.33 to monitor grade entry
and follow up as necessary regarding students with no grades entered. These Custom Reports
list final grades for currently active students and identify students without final grades.

 Create a grade entry calendar to ensure the timely entry of grades and subsequent generation of
report cards.
 Ensure that marking periods have been created and the final marking period has been identified in
STARS
 Schools completing grade entry in STARS Admin must use the Manage Term and Marking
Periods screen in STARS Client to create and identify their final marking period. Schools must
check “Is Final” for their final marking period for grades to appear as “final” on report cards, as
well as transcripts for middle and high schools.
 Schools completing grade entry in STARS Classroom must use the Marking Period Set-Up
function in STARS Classroom to define their marking periods for each grade band (K, 1-5, 6). The
grade entered in the “Final Grades” box is determined by the school’s grading policy as follows:
• If the school averages the marking period grades to determine a final grade, this average
should be entered into the “Final Grades” box.
• If the school uses the last marking period grade (for example, marking period 3 of 3) as
the final grade, this grade should be entered into the corresponding marking period and
administrators should select “Copy MP grades to ‘Final Grades.’”
• Note: Selecting “Copy MP grades to ‘Final Grades’” will overwrite any existing grade manually
entered by teachers or administrators into the final marking period, disabling the 'Final' marking
period. Unselecting this option will delete all grades stored in the 'Final Grades' marking period.
Before adding or removing marking periods, the 'Copy MP Grades to Final' must be unselected.
 Complete grade entry for Individual Student Programming (ISP) and Push-In/Pull-Out (PIPO) grades:

6Schools should ensure that grades entered in STARS correspond to the grades that appear on school-based report cards and
that grade entry in STARS aligns with when school-based report cards are distributed.

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APPENDIX B: GRADE E NTRY C HECKLIST

 If elementary schools do not complete grade entry for ISP and/or PIPO records, report cards will
display separate lines, i.e., one for the official class subject, and one for the push-in record
associated to the official class. For pull-out and ISP records, these subjects are independent of
official class scheduling, but will display grades based on assigned teachers.

Note: Currently, only elementary school PIPO grades will display on STARS report cards. PIPO
records associated to middle and high school students will not display on report cards or
transcripts.

 Complete grade entry:

 All schools can use STARS Classroom or STARS Admin Marking Period Grades screen to enter
final marks. Elementary schools using STARS Admin must select the Marking Period Grades SC
screen and can only enter overall marks for each subject.
 In STARS Admin, schools can also edit narratives (free form text) and comments (by code).
Middle and high schools also have the option of using the Electronic Grade Gathering File in
STARS Client to enter marks; schools must indicate marks that should appear on transcripts as
final.7
 For middle and high schools only, expand interdisciplinary courses and enter final marks for the
associated “virtual” course codes:
 Schools should use the Interdisciplinary Course function in STARS Client to expand
interdisciplinary courses and put their associated virtual course codes on the school’s master
schedule.

Best practice: Virtual course codes should be unique and not duplicative of anything on the rest
of the school’s master schedule to avoid issues with grade entry.

 At the end of the term, schools must enter final marks for both virtual course codes through any
of the grade entry methods. Schools must not enter final marks for ZJ course codes.

NX Courses: In fall 2021, high school students may still be completing courses in which they
originally received an ‘NX’. For policies related to ‘NX’s, see the Grading Policy Guidance for
Remote and Blended Learning (2020-21). For information on the process of entering grades for
these courses and reconciling past ‘NX’s, see the 2020-21 Programming and Grading Guide.

7Schools should confirm that all teachers who are expected to receive these files have been matched on both the STARS Admin
Teacher and Email Reference screens. Teachers who have been linked to course/sections through the STARS Admin Section
Properties screen will be unable to receive EGG files.

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APPENDIX C: GRADING SCALE M ARKS

APPENDIX C: GRADING SCALE MARKS

The table below outlines available grading scales for courses in elementary, middle, and high schools,
along with their pass/fail and numeric equivalents. Schools may only use marks listed below and cannot
alter the pass/fail equivalent to course marks.

Note: For schools using performance levels 1 – 4, this scale does not have numeric equivalents. You may
not establish nor communicate numeric equivalents for marks 1, 2, 3, or 4. Also, note that performance
level 2 has a fail equivalent.

Course Description Numeric Pass/Fail

Mark Equivalent8 Equivalent9

IB2‒IB7 International Baccalaureate scale N/A P

IB1 International Baccalaureate scale N/A F

4 (+/-) Performance level: excels in standards (1–4 scale) N/A P

3 (+/-) Performance level: proficient (1–4 scale) N/A P

2 (+/-) Performance level: below standards (1–4 scale) N/A F

1 (+/-) Performance level: well below standards (1–4 scale) N/A F

100–65 Numeric course grades (10–100 scale) 65–100 P

64–1010 Numeric course grades (10–100 scale) 10–64 F

A+ Alpha course grades (A–F scale) 98 P

A Alpha course grades (A–F scale) 95 P

A- Alpha course grades (A–F scale) 93 P

B+ Alpha course grades (A–F scale) 88 P

B Alpha course grades (A–F scale) 85 P

B- Alpha course grades (A–F scale) 83 P

8 The numeric equivalents of course marks are used in the calculation of students’ cumulative averages (GPA). Marks that do
not have numeric equivalents are not used.
9 For credit-bearing courses, only course marks with a “pass” equivalency confer credit.
10 In order to avoid conflicting pass/fail equivalencies for marks of 1–4, schools using the numeric scale should round marks of

less than 10 to either an ‘NC’ or a 10, or utilize a ‘NS’ as appropriate. Schools are encouraged to set a minimum failing mark of
55 in their grading policies, in accordance with the policies described in this Toolkit.

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APPENDIX C: GRADING SCALE M ARKS

Course Description Numeric Pass/Fail

Mark Equivalent8 Equivalent9

C+ Alpha course grades (A–F scale) 78 P

C Alpha course grades (A–F scale) 75 P

C- Alpha course grades (A–F scale) 73 P

D+ Alpha course grades (A–F scale) 68 P

D Alpha course grades (A–F scale) 65 P

D- Alpha course grades (A–F scale) 60 F

F Alpha course grades (A–F scale)/Pass or fail 55 F

P Pass or fail N/A P

E+ Excellent+ (E–U scale) 98 P

E Excellent (E–U scale) 95 P

E- Excellent- (E–U scale) 93 P

G+ Good+ (E–U scale) 88 P

G Good (E–U scale) 85 P

G- Good- (E–U scale) 83 P

S+ Satisfactory (E–U scale) 78 P

S Satisfactory (E–U scale) 75 P

S- Satisfactory- (E–U scale) 73 P

N+ Needs Improvement+ (E–U scale) 68 P

N Needs Improvement (E–U scale) 65 P

N- Needs Improvement- (E–U scale) 60 F

U Unsatisfactory (E–U scale) 55 F

ME Exceeds standards (Mastery scale) 95 P

MA Above standards (Mastery scale) 85 P

MT Meets standards (Mastery scale) 75 P

MP Approaching standards (Mastery scale) 65 P

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APPENDIX C: GRADING SCALE M ARKS

Course Description Numeric Pass/Fail

Mark Equivalent8 Equivalent9

MB Below standards (Mastery scale) 55 F

CR Credit N/A P

NC No Credit N/A F

NS No credit – No show (additional policies apply) 45 F

ND No credit – Fulfilled distribution requirement N/A NULL

NU No credit – Audit N/A NULL

NX No credit – Course in Progress (additional policies apply) N/A NULL

NL No credit – New/Recent Admit (additional policies apply) N/A NULL

NW Course waived (use for PE only) N/A P

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APPENDIX D: SAMPLE E MAIL

APPENDIX D: SAMPLE EMAIL FOR PARENT/GUARDIAN OPTION TO REPLACE FINAL

PASSING GRADES (HIGH SCHOOL)

Dear Parent/Guardian of [Student Name],

We recognize that COVID-19 and the transition to blended and remote learning may impact how your
student demonstrates their learning. Because of this, you can choose to replace any passing final grade
on your student’s transcript since March 2020 with a grade of credit or ‘CR’. This option is meant to
ensure that your student’s transcript best reflects their achievements.

Your student’s final grades appear on their transcript, which is the official record of the courses they
have completed. Final grades in some courses are used to calculate a cumulative average, which is often
used for scholarship and program eligibility and class ranking. If you choose to change any of your
student’s final passing grades to ‘CR’, that grade will not affect their cumulative average, but it will still
count toward graduation. More information on student transcripts is available at
https://www.schools.nyc.gov/learning/student-journey/student-records-and-transcripts.

To let us know which passing course grades from [year/term] you would like to be changed to grades of
‘CR’, respond to this email by [school-based deadline] with one of the options below. If you do not
respond by this deadline, the original passing final grade will remain on your student’s transcript.

• I want to change all passing final grades to passing grades of ‘CR’. Respond to this email with,
“change all passing grades from [year/term] to CR.” Doing so means that none of my student’s
passing final grades will be included in their cumulative average.

• I want to change the following passing final grades to passing grades of ‘CR’. Respond to this
email with, “change the following passing grades from [year/term] to CR” and list all of the
courses for which you are requesting this change.

• I do not want to change any passing final grades to passing grades of ‘CR’. Respond to this email
with, “do not change any grades.” I understand that all of my student’s passing final grades will
be included in their cumulative average.

• I am not sure. Respond to this email with, “I would like to meet with a school staff member to
discuss this decision.”

Once we receive your decision, we will make the change(s) within 10 business days for students
graduating in this term and within 30 business days for all other students.

This is an important decision that impacts your student’s next steps after high school. We are available
to discuss these options with you to help you make the best decision for your student. We congratulate
your student for reaching this stage in their high school career.

Sincerely,

[Name and contact information]

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APPENDIX E: ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

APPENDIX E: ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

A Call to Action for Equitable Grading by Joe Feldman

Let’s teach for mastery – not test scores by Sal Khan

Mastery Collaborative, a program of New York City Department of Education’s Office of Leadership

• Mastery-Based Grading Strategies

• Grading Policy Considerations
• Problems of Practice Worksheet

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