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Grades provide you and your student important feedback about your student’s academic progress throughout their educational path. Learning is a journey, and it may take more than one attempt for your student to demonstrate proficiency. Grades show what your student knows and can do at a given point in time.
All elementary, middle, and high schools have written grading policies that they review and update each year. You should receive a physical or electronic copy of your school’s grading policies at the beginning of the school year. These grading policies describe how students’ grades are determined, the types of grades the school will use, and when students can expect to receive report cards and final grades.
Schools may also share their grading policies at open houses, parent-teacher conferences, and on the school website. You and your student have the right to request the grading policy at any point in time, per the Parents’ Bill of Rights and the Student Bill of Rights. For translations of the grading policy, please contact the school.
How are students graded?
You and your student should have a clear understanding of the learning goals for each subject. Students’ grades reflect how well they understand the subject matter, concepts, content, and skills. Other measures, such as effort, behavior, preparedness, and participation, are important to your student’s learning but should not greatly influence their grades. Schools do not include attendance in grades at all, continuing the policy adopted in the 2020-21 school year.
What type of grades will my student receive?
Schools select their own grading scales. Many schools use the 1–4 scale, alphabetic scale (A – F), or the 100-point scale, but your school may use a different scale. Special marks, such as “Course in Progress” (NX), will be awarded to students according to NYCDOE policies.
Parents of students in middle and high school will continue to have the choice to replace their student’s passing final grades with a grade of “CR” or “P,” indicating earning course credit or passing. This policy was adopted in 2020-21 and only applies to final grades awarded since the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020). Reach out to your student’s school if you would like to choose a “CR” or “P” grade for one of your student’s passing final grades.
How often will I receive feedback on my student’s progress?
Our schools strive to build strong relationships with students and families based upon consistent, positive, and transparent communication around student progress. Schools are required to provide students at least two grades in each subject each term: an interim grade and a final grade. A student’s final grade represents the work a student completed throughout the subject and their level of proficiency at the end of the subject. Schools may choose to provide more frequent grades to you and your student based upon the school’s grading calendar.
Report card grades are only one way your student’s teacher will communicate with you about academic progress. You will also receive feedback through parent teacher conferences and other regular check-ins with teachers. Connect with your student’s teachers at any time to understand your student’s progress.