1. 10-Point Grading Scale Review
Rockingham County Public Schools

2. Background Present grading scale was adopted in 1986 Current 10-point
A= A=
B= B= 80-89
C= C= 70-79
D= D= 60-69
F= 69 and below F= 59 and below

3. 10-Point Grading Scale Review
Fairfax County Schools Study
Surveyed 104 colleges with 64 responses
Spotsylvania County Schools Study
Madison County Schools Study

4. Fairfax County Study Review
10-point grading scale and letter grades are the most common grading scales of college applicant pools.
Fifty-five (55) percent of colleges do not recalculate GPAs.

5. Fairfax County Study Review
Eighty-nine (89) percent of the respondent colleges compare applicants to all other students in the applicant pool.
Colleges use a variety of methods to account for different grading policies. However, when evaluating candidates for merit scholarships and honor programs, SAT scores and GPA scores are the two most important factors.

6. Fairfax County Study Review
Competition and rising higher education costs have raised concern nationwide about grading policies for college admission, receipt of merit-based scholarships, and placement in honors programs.

7. Fairfax County Study Review
At the local level, grading policies are being reviewed. 75 out of 78 school divisions that have reviewed their grading policies made the decision to change to a 10-point grading scale.

8. Fairfax County Study Review
Previous grading scale
Adopted grading scale
A (94-100) = 4.0
B+ (90-93) = 3.5
B (84-89) = 3.0
C+ (80-83) = 2.5
C (74-79) = 2.0
D+ (70-73) = 1.5
D (64-69) = 1.0
F (below 64 ) = 0.0
A (93-100) = 4.0
A- (90-92) = 3.7
B+ (87-89) = 3.3
B (83-86) = 3.0
B- (80-82) = 2.7
C+ (77-79) = 2.3
C (73-76) = 2.0
C- (70-72) = 1.7
D+ (67-69) = 1.3
D (64-66) = 1.0
F (below 64) = 0.0

9. Spotsylvania County Schools Study
Fifty merit-based scholarships were researched and found that screening for most scholarships is based on GPA.
The 10-point grading scale will allow students to earn a higher GPA, increasing the opportunity for scholarship eligibility.

10. Madison County Schools Study
20 colleges surveyed indicated that GPA was the single most important factor in their admissions policy, followed by class rank and SAT scores.

11. School districts recently adopting 10-point scale
Chesapeake
Virginia Beach
Norfolk
Albemarle
Orange
Madison
Fairfax
Arlington
Loudoun
Alexandria
Falls Church
Manassas
Manassas Park
Montgomery
Prince William
Williamsburg/
James City
Warren
Pulaski
Fauquier/Surry Co.
Frederick
Buena Vista
Lee Co.
Charlottesville
Poquoson
Spotsylvania
Stafford
King George
Greene County
Portsmouth
Suffolk

12. Private School Grading Scales

13. SCHOOL A B C D F
Covenant School
Charlottesville
90-100
80-89
70-79
60-69
0-59
Episcopal
Alexandria
Fredericksburg Academy
Fredericksburg
Hunter McGuire
Staunton
Miller School
Ivy
Randolph-Macon
Front Royal

14. Tandem Friends
Charlottesville
90-100
80-89
70-79
60-69
0-59
Wakefield
Woodberry Forrest
Orange
Blue Ridge School
St. George (Dyke)
North Cross
Roanoke
Grace Christian
Staunton
92-100
85-91
77-84
69-76
0-68

15. Benedictine
Richmond
93-100
85-92
77-84
70-76
0-69
Ridgeview Christian
Stuarts Draft
75-84
65-74
0-64
Roanoke Catholic
Roanoke
Collegiate
84-92
75-83
70-74
Eastern Mennonite
Harrisonburg
94-100
87-93
76-86
68-75
0-67
Fishburne
Waynesboro
86-93
78-85
70-77
Fork Union
95-100
88-94
81-87
75-80
0-74

16. Benefits of 10-Point Scale
Equalize opportunities for student scholarships with other divisions in Virginia and other states
Align with grading scale used by most colleges
Recognize more students through the Honor Roll
Equalize all grading scales with Dual Enrollment classes and Governor’s School classes
Reduce student failure rates
Decrease drop-out rate
Increase graduation rate

17. RCPS Believes… The teacher is key
Teaching and learning is led by the teacher
It is RCPS’s mission to provide rigorous courses, and have high standards and expectations for teachers and students