As of August 2024, the following updates and changes to our grading procedures are in place at the secondary level. These changes are the result of extensive stakeholder feedback, to include CASD families, and reflect our commitment to continuous improvement.
The following items will be in effect in the current (2024-2025) year:
Grade Scale
The secondary level will implement a revised grade scale, as shown below. This new scale accomplishes several things that were important to our stakeholders, including:
- Reflecting a traditional 10-point increment system, aligning with many high schools and colleges across the nation.
- Better supporting the transition for students transferring into and out of the District, such as those from the Army War College.
- Maintaining our rigorous, but achievable, standard for an A while also encompassing the 10-point increment standard.
- Maintaining letter grades to include plusses and minuses.
Passing a Class
Students earn a final grade and percentage at the end of each marking period. Students will pass a class when the average of the four marking periods is 60% (D-) or higher. As is consistent with past practice, students who “fail” a marking period will be monitored, and the student will interact with the teacher, counselor, and/or principal about receiving necessary supports and an academic plan for improvement. Families will also continue to be informed when a student is in danger of failing a class.
Transcripts
Moving forward, final course grades on transcripts will be recorded as final letter grades, in place of average course percentages, based on the new grade scale. As we maintain a grade scale that converts ranges of percentages into letters (example: an 87-89 is a B+), this will make the representation of achievement more consistent. This method better mirrors the common practice for academic transcripts at the post-secondary level.
Beginning October 1st, all historic final course grades (prior to this school year) will be updated to display the letter grade in place of the percentage on transcripts. Those course grades, from prior school years, will be based on the previous grading scale in place during those years. A notation will be made in the grade interpretation document, which accompanies all transcripts, noting a change in grade scales during a student’s tenure at Carlisle High School.
If a student or family were to need a specific percentage for a course, final 2024-2025 course percentages will be retrievable via PowerSchool. If the student has already graduated and can no longer access PowerSchool, the student/family should contact the home building.
Academic Recognition
In addition to recognizing a valedictorian and salutatorian based on weighted GPA, the District will also recognize students achieving academic honors based on an unweighted GPA of 3.85 across all high school courses.
The following items will be discussed in the coming year with final decisions at a later date:
Classroom-Level Grading Guidelines
In collaboration with teachers and with input from stakeholders (students, families, etc.), classroom-level grading guidelines will be developed to promote greater consistency in key areas such as late work, entering grades in PowerSchool, and make-up work.
Class Rank
Throughout 2024-2025, the District will evaluate the practice of publicizing class rank, especially for a student body that reflects a variety of aptitudes, abilities, and learning needs. This is a complex issue. On the one hand, national trends suggest that greater numbers of high schools are not calculating a class rank at all, and that it is decreasing in importance in the college admissions process. On the other hand, we also recognize that some students may require a class rank for specific or unique reasons (e.g., a scholarship application or a college application that requires a class rank). There will be more discussions to follow.
Carlisle High School Course Weightings
The CHS Administration will review all high school courses to evaluate the consistency of course weightings across all subject areas (example: an Advanced Placement course is weighted more heavily than an Option II course at Carlisle HS). Note that we are not suggesting eliminating weightings. Rather, we seek to be more consistent in what we weight and how we weight. We plan to implement adjusted weightings in the 2025-2026 year.
