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

2. Background Present grading scale was adopted in 1986 Current10-point A= 94-100A= 90-100 B= 86-93B= 80-89 C= 78-85C= 70-79 D= 70-77D= 60-69 F= 69 and belowF= 59 and below Present grading scale was adopted in 1986 Current10-point A= 94-100A= 90-100 B= 86-93B= 80-89 C= 78-85C= 70-79 D= 70-77D= 60-69 F= 69 and belowF= 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  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.  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.  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  In FCPS the mean increase in GPA when changing to a 10-point scale was 0.15; the largest increase was among students with GPAs in the 2.25 to 3.50 range, with a mean increase of 0.17.

9. Fairfax County Study Review 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 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 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 Previous grading scaleAdopted grading scale

10. Fairfax County Study Review  Higher standards have no significant effect on educational attainment (i.e., high school graduation rates and college attendance). However, researchers found they have a negative effect on graduation rates for Black Americans and Hispanics. (Betts and Grogger 2003)

11. Fairfax County Study Review  School divisions have just begun to implement the new grading policies and data is not available associated with the results of revising the scales.

12. 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.  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.

13. Spotsylvania County Schools Study  Data is not available to empirically determine if changing the grading scale has a positive effect on college acceptance, decrease in failure rate, increase in graduation rate, etc.

14. 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.

15. 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 School districts recently adopting 10-point scale

16. Student Samples

17. Private School Grading Scales

18. SCHOOLABCDF Covenant School Charlottesville 90-10080-8970-7960-690-59 Episcopal Alexandria 90-10080-8970-7960-690-59 Fredericksburg Academy Fredericksburg 90-10080-8970-7960-690-59 Hunter McQuire Staunton 90-10080-8970-7960-690-59 Miller School Ivy 90-10080-8970-7960-690-59 Randolph-Macon Front Royal 90-10080-8970-7960-690-59

19. Tandem Friends Charlottesville 90-10080-8970-7960-690-59 Wakefield 90-10080-8970-7960-690-59 Woodberry Forrest Orange 90-10080-8970-7960-690-59 Blue Ridge School St. George (Dyke) 90-10080-8970-7960-690-59 North Cross Roanoke 90-10080-8970-7960-690-59 Grace Christian Staunton 92-10085-9177-8469-760-68

20. Benedictine Richmond 93-10085-9277-8470-760-69 Ridgeview Christian Stuarts Draft 93-10085-9275-8465-740-64 Roanoke Catholic Roanoke 93-10085-9277-8470-760-69 Collegiate Richmond 93-10084-9275-8370-740-69 Eastern Mennonite Harrisonburg 94-10087-9376-8668-750-67 Fishburne Waynesboro 94-10086-9378-8570-770-69 Fork Union 95-10088-9481-8775-800-74

21. Benefits of 10-Point Scale  Equalize opportunities for our students with other school 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  Motivate students to attempt more rigorous courses  Enhance opportunity of RCPS students to obtain merit scholarships and honor program placement  Reduce student failure rates  Decrease drop-out rate  Increase graduation rate  Enhance student self-confidence and esteem  Equalize opportunities for our students with other school 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  Motivate students to attempt more rigorous courses  Enhance opportunity of RCPS students to obtain merit scholarships and honor program placement  Reduce student failure rates  Decrease drop-out rate  Increase graduation rate  Enhance student self-confidence and esteem