Tulsa Public Schools Policy 2401-R: Grading Systems
Definitions and interpretation of letter grades and other performance indicators:
Letter Grades
A - Superior quality of work
B - Good quality of work
C - Satisfactory quality of work
D - Below quality of work
F - Unsatisfactory work
I – Incomplete (Applicable only for secondary courses using a Non-Traditional Delivery Method of Instruction)
Other Indicators of Progress (secondary reports)
P – used in secondary to designate a passing grade. Course credit may be assigned but not calculated in GPA.
Other Indicators of Progress (elementary reports)
Traditional grading scale for special courses and grades 1-2:
E - Excellent Work
S - Satisfactory progress--used to designate progress in grades 1-2
N - Needs improvement—used to designate progress in grades 1-2
U - Unsatisfactory work
P - used in Pre-K and Kindergarten to designate student is progressing toward skill. Also used in additional elementary grades for students receiving sheltered instruction.
Standards-based grading scale for Pre-K and Kindergarten:
M – Mastery of the skill
P – Progressing toward skill (Also used in additional elementary grades for students receiving sheltered instruction)
N – Need for further development
Standards-based grading scale for grades 1-4:
1 – Meets or exceeds standards
2 – Progressing toward standard
3 – Area of concern
Standards-based grading scale for grade 5:
1 – Meets or exceeds standards
2 – Progressing toward standard
3 – Area of concern
4 – Not assessed
Letter grades (A,B,C,D,F,I) will be used in the District to rate student progress. In addition to letter grades, other performance indicators such as U, P, S, or N may be used to indicate progress by elementary students. These letter grades and/or other performance indicators will be communicated to parents/guardians through the use of a specially-designed report card. It should be noted the report card is only one form of communicating student progress to parents/guardians. Because of the limited scope of the report card, it is difficult to provide a comprehensive profile of the student's capacity, individual needs, or growth. Consequently, it is recommended that teacher/parent conferences be a definite part of reporting to parents/guardians.
The letter grade of I (Incomplete) may be used for secondary courses using a non-traditional delivery method of instruction. The delivery method may include synchronous (real time instruction) and/or asynchronous (instructor and student on-line at different times) methods and rely on the Internet and/or two-way interactive video instruction and/or concurrent enrollment courses. Any grade designation of an I (Incomplete) may be updated for credit status if the course is completed by the end of the following semester. Any letter grade of I (incomplete) will earn zero credit and will be excluded from GPA calculations.
Grades will be based strictly on written, well-defined criteria and teachers will maintain records (grade books, progress charts, etc.) containing sufficient documentation to verify or justify the grades given.
To encourage and recognize enrollment and achievement in academically challenging subjects, weighted grade points will be assigned to courses carrying the designation of AP or IB or to college courses in core academic areas taken concurrently. Weighted status will not be given to courses designated as PreAP or IBMYP. Additionally, high school credit earned during grades 6, 7, or 8 will count for high school graduation requirements but will be excluded from the high school cumulative GPA calculations. Courses available for weighted credit are identified in the Tulsa Public Schools High School Course of Study that has been approved by the District Curriculum Committee and adopted by the Board of Education. Courses and their respective point value status are as follows:
| Regular Courses | Courses Carrying Weighted Grades |
| A - 4 points | A - 5 points |
| B - 3 points | B - 4 points |
| C - 2 points | C - 3 points |
| D - 1 point | D - 1 point |
| F - 0 point | F - 0 point |
| I - N/A | I - N/A |
Implementation
Beginning with the 2018-19 school year, only courses that meet the above criteria (IB, AP, or concurrent core courses) will receive weighted grade points.
Appeals Process
Except for failing grades, teachers will have the final authority to determine grades for students assigned to them. The final grade assigned by the teacher will prevail except in those instances where the principal finds evidence of unreasonable grading procedures, mechanical or mathematical error, or failure to follow school system policy governing the assignment of grades.
In such cases, the principal will make every effort to review the assigned grade with the teacher and make such adjustments as are considered justified. Should a disagreement develop, the matter will be referred to the Superintendent or designee. Should the appellant wish to continue the process, an appeal may be made to the Board of Education and the decision will be final.
Repeating a Course for Credit
Although replacement, or “pounding”, of grades has taken place in TPS for many years, there has not been a policy or procedures to ensure equity in this practice. The purpose of this policy is to establish when, and how, grade replacement should occur.
If a student takes a class and fails it, he or she receives an F on his/her transcript. If the student takes the course again and passes, the initial F remains on the transcript, but a pound sign (#) is placed in front of the grade which means it will not count in the student’s grade point average (GPA). The new grade is listed for the appropriate semester, and that grade is counted for credit(s) and becomes part of the student’s grade point average.
If a student fails a course based on excessive absences, he or she receives the grade earned with a pound sign (#) in front of the grade. This grade is not counted as a credit, and it is not. included in the student’s grade point average. The student may retake the course and receive the grade earned in the retake as well as the credit(s) and grade points for the average.
If there is space, students may choose to retake a course, even if they did not fail it the first time, in order to increase their understanding of the content or raise their grade point average. This course can only count once toward graduation credits. If a student retakes a course, the lower of the two grades he/she receives will be eliminated from their GPA and credit count by placing the pound symbol (#) in front of the lower grade.
Tulsa Public Schools cannot replace, or pound, grades from other districts. If a student transfers into the district with an F and retakes the course, the initial F will still count as part of the student’s GPA.
To ensure that grades are replaced in an equitable manner for all students, a process must be in place to ensure that grades are removed or updated on each student’s transcript when he/she makes up a course. To ensure that all students who retake a course have the lower grade removed, the Tulsa Public Schools Data Team will send monthly reports to the Enrollment and Student Information team showing any students who have multiple grades for the same course.
In this way, it will be possible for the lower of the two grades to be eliminated with a pound sign.
Legal Reference: TCTA Negotiated Agreement, Summer 1979
Issued: April 1985
Revised: November 2018