From the ECS State Policy Database Instructional Approaches--Grading Practices

This database is made possible by your state's fiscal support of the Education Commission of the States (ECS). Most entries are legislative, although rules/regulations and executive orders that make substantive changes are included. Every effort is made to collect the latest available version of policies; in some instances, recent changes might not be reflected. For expediency purposes minimal attention has been paid to style (capitalization, punctuation) and format. Please cite use of the database as: Education Commission of the States (ECS) State Policy Database, retrieved [date]. State Status/Date Level Summary TX Signed into law 06/2013 P-12 Attendance and Student Final Grade H.B. 5 - Attendance and Student Final Grade Provides that any student in grades K-12 may not receive a final grade for a class unless the student is in attendance for at least 90% of the days the class is offered. Permits a student who attends 75% but less than 90% of class days to receive a final grade... More... MS Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Changes in Student Grades H.B. 696 Prohibits school administrators and certain other faculty, staff and employees of a local school district from influencing the grade received by a student from a teacher, prescribes the circumstances under which a teacher may change a student's grade, provides... More... NM Signed into law 03/2011 P-12 Elementary School Grading System S.B. 272 Adds grades three and four to the required standardized alphabetic or numeric grading system adopted by the public education department. http://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/11%20Regular/final/SB0272.pdf... More... LA Signed into law 06/2010 P-12 Uniform Grading Scales H.B. 433 Requires the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop, adopt, and provide for the implementation of a uniform grading scale for use in public schools. Outlines enforcement and exceptions and creates a task force to provide recommendations. ... More... TX Signed into law 06/2009 P-12 District Grading Policies S.B. 2033 Directs all school districts to adopt a grading policy before each school year. Specifies the district grading policy (1) must require a classroom teacher to assign a grade that reflects the student's relative mastery of an assignment; (2) may not require a cl... More... TX Signed into law 06/2009 P-12 Postsec. GPA and University Admissions H.B. 3- Section 31 Amends Section 28.0252, authorizing the commissioner of education to develop a standard method of calculating student grade point average (GPA), including weights for advanced courses. Eliminates provision that if a conflict arises between that method and the ... More... NM Adopted 05/2008 P-12 Final Course Grade Changes for Students NMAC 6.30.10 The purpose of this rule is to establish minimal requirements for those school districts and charter schools that seek to permit changes to a student's final course grades, and to require that school districts and charter schools adopt written policies for an... More... TX Signed into law 06/2007 P-12 Postsec. Grade Point Calculation H.B. 3851 Requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to adopt rules establishing a standard method for computing a student's high school grade point average in a certain manner. The bill also requires the annual report each general academic teaching ... More... NV Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 High School Reform A.B. 212 Provides for high school reform. Requires the board of trustees of each school district to adopt a policy for each public school of the school district in which ninth grade pupils are enrolled, to develop a 4-year academic plan for each of those pupils. Requir... More... GA Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 Grade Integrity Act of 2007 S.B. 9 Enacts the Grade Integrity Act of 2007. Provides that no classroom teacher shall be required, coerced, intimidated, or disciplined in any manner to change the grade of a student. Provides that a violation of this provision constitutes an ethical violation repo... More... NM Signed into law 04/2007 P-12 Standardized Statewide Grading System S.B. 160 Directs the department of education to adopt and promulgate rules establishing a standardized alphabetic or numeric grading system based on the 4.0 scale or 100% scale to be used by all public schools for 5th-12th grades. http://legis.state.nm.us/Sessions/07%2... More... TX Signed into law 06/2005 P-12 Standard Method of Computing Grade Point Averages S.B. 111 Allows the commissioner to develop a standard method of computing a student's high school grade point average that provides for additional weight to be given to each honors course, advanced placement course, international baccalaureate course, or dual credit c... More... AR Signed into law 04/2005 P-12 Education S.B. 1044 (sections 1-10) Incorporates references to the state's Automated Fingerprint Identification System. Expands the definition of "cause" for purposes of waiving or suspending a teacher's license. Among changes to definition, includes knowingly falsifying or directing another to ... More... AR Signed into law 04/2005 P-12 S.B. 1044 (sections 14-15) Repeals provision that notation must be made on a student's transcript to indicate each special education class included on the transcript. Establishes that school day must consist of at least rather than fewer than six hours of instructional time. Allows a... More... AZ Signed into law 04/2005 P-12 Teacher Immunity H.B. 2267 States that a full-time certified teacher is immune from personal liability for all acts done and actions taken in good faith in evaluating or grading any student. http://www.azleg.state.az.us/DocumentsForBill.asp?Bill_Number=2267... More... AR Signed into law 04/2005 P-12 End of Course Assessment Requirements H.B. 1983 (multiple provisions) Establishes system for districts to report all students' scores on end-of-course assessments. Requires the division of public school accountability to: (i) Match each student's end-of-course test score with the letter grade received in the corresponding cours... More... TN Signed into law 05/2004 P-12 Postsec. Uniform Grading System S.B. 2205 Directs the state board to establish a task force comprised of superintendents, principals, teachers, and representatives of school boards and higher education no later than June 30, 2004. The task force is to make recommendations to the board including, but n... More... TN Signed into law 05/2003 P-12 Grading Policies H.J.R. 485 Requests the state board to study the issue of grading in Tennessee public schools with special emphasis on the area of numerical/letter grade equivalency. The state board is to report its conclusions and recommendations to the House and Senate Education Commi... More... TX Signed into law 05/2003 P-12 Finality of a Grade H.B. 1949 Sec. 28.0212. FINALITY OF GRADE. (a) An examination or course grade issued by a classroom teacher is final and may not be changed unless the grade is arbitrary, erroneous, or not consistent with the school district grading policy applicable to the grade, as... More... CA Signed into law 06/2002 P-12 Extra Grade Weighting Limited A.B. 2657 Establishes a 4-year implementation schedule for existing law which prohibits a school district, when calculating a pupil's grade point average, from assigning extra grade weighting to a course that covers a subject required for admission to the University of ... More... CA To governor 09/2001 P-12 Postsec. Grade Weighting A.B. 458 Prohibits a school district, when calculating a pupil's grade point average, from assigning extra grade weighting to a course that covers a subject required for admission to the University of California or the California State University unless the University ... More... FL To governor 05/2001 P-12 Change of Grading Practices S.B. 636 Alters the required ranges of percentage grades that equate to letter grades and grade points.... More... AR Signed into law 03/2001 P-12 Uniform Grading Scale H.B. 1826 Requires a uniform grading scale for non-traditional high school courses.... More...