Grading Philosophy

Baltimore Polytechnic Institute is committed to maintaining rigorous performance and achievement standards for all students and to providing a fair process for evaluating and reporting student progress that is understandable to students and their parents/guardians and relevant for instructional purposes.

Tracking Student Progress

Students and families will receive a syllabus from the teacher highlighting grading practices for the course or grade level within the context of this policy.

Per the district grading policy, grades are expected to be kept recent and updated. Teachers must, at a minimum, enter one classwork or participation grade per week and one formative assessment every two weeks, and summative assessments as assigned according to the assessment strategy.

Parents and students can track grades using the Infinite Campus Parent Portal, which can be access by receiving an access code from Ms. Linda Little (LLittle01@bcps.k12.md.us and visiting www.baltimorecitypublicschools/campus-portal.

Make-up Work Due to Absence

Teachers will provide make-up work within three (3) school days of the student’s last absence, and students must turn in assignments within seven (7) school days after they are provided by the teacher. The time allowed for makeup work may be extended on a case-by case basis for extenuating circumstances determined by the Principal.

Reassessment

We understand that students may demonstrate improved content mastery within the course of a grading term. With the teacher’s agreement, a student may take an assignment that is approved by the academic department team that covers the same content that was covered in a prior assignment, and that grade can replace the previous grade. The format must be changed from the prior assessment, and the reassessment must occur in the same quarter, prior to the midterm or final examination.

Grade Calculations

Grades are calculated in the following manner:

Year-long Course 

Sem 1: Quarter 1 Grade=40%, Quarter 2 Grade=40%, Mid Term Grade=20% 

Sem 2: Quarter 3 Grade=40%, Quarter 4 Grade=40%, Mid Term Grade=20%

Each Sem = 50% of Final Grade

Semester Course 

Quarter 1 Grade = 40%, Quarter 2 Grade = 40%, Mid Term Grade = 20%

Courses Without Exams 

 The Grade of Each Term is Weighted Evenly Semester 1 = 50%, Semester 2 = 50%

Failing Grades

If a student receives an F as a marking period grade, the numerical equivalent of that grade cannot be lower than a 50 when used to calculate the student’s final grade. If a student failed a marking period by earning a 50-59, that score should remain unchanged when calculating the student’s final grade.

Grading Scales

97-100 = A+

93-96 = A

90-92 = A-

87-89 = B+

83-86 = B

80-82 = B-

77-79 = C+

73-76 = C

70-72 = C-

67-69 = D+

63-66 = D

60-62 = D-

59 and below = F

INC = Incomplete. The “INC” grade may be used temporarily for secondary students who have been lawfully absent from school and have not had an opportunity to make up missed work prior to the end of a marking period.

W = Withdrawn. A “W” will be issued when a student is withdrawn from a course (Semester or Full Year) prior to completion of the course.

L = Late Enrollment. A “L” will be issued when students enroll in a course near the end of a marking period, without available equivalent grades from a prior school to inform the calculation of the marking period grade.

PASS = Pass. A “PASS” will be issued when:

• Credit awarded through credit by exam

• Credit awarded for coursework from non-accredited schools.

• Credit awarded for home school instruction prior to enrollment in City Schools; or may also be used for English Language learners (ELs) in the beginning stages of English language acquisition (WIDA levels 1-1.7, verified in the online student information system) when English proficiency limits accuracy of earned letter grade.

Calculation of GPA

Final grades are used to calculate students’ GPA. The table below represents the GPA equivalent of all letter grades on the standard course scale. This GPA will appear on students’ transcripts. Grades are rounded to the nearest percentage point.

Grade % Letter Grade Standard Honors AP

97-100 = A+ 4 5 5.5

93-96 A 4 5 5.5

90-92 A- 4 5 5.5

87-89 B+ 3 4 4.5

83-86 B 3 4 4.5

80-82 B- 3 4 4.5

77-79 C+ 2 3 3.5

73-76 C 2 3 3.5

70-72 C- 2 3 3.5

67-69 D+ 1 2 2.5

63-66 D 1 2 2.5

60-62 D- 1 2 2.5

59 and below F 0 0 0

Types of Assessments

Formative Assessments (used for grades):

This category of assessment is the most commonly experienced. Formative assessments typically occur in classrooms daily as they are designed to be an ongoing process that take place during instruction. The primary purpose of formative assessments is to inform instruction and daily learning by providing feedback, updates on movement toward mastery, and the opportunity to improve upon learning by students. Results from this category of assessment ARE appropriate for use in determining a student grade.

Common Examples: Chapter quizzes, debates, presentations, performances, essays, Socratic

seminars, checklists, drawings, quick-writes, projects, teacher-created assessments, notebooks, self-reflection journals, and annotated bibliographies.

Summative Assessments (used for grades):

This category of assessment is best viewed as an evaluation of student learning

(content/skill mastery) at the end of a specific instructional period – typically at the end of a unit, marking period, semester, course, or program. Summative assessments are experienced less frequently than formative assessments and tend to have more influence on informing long-term instructional strategies than formative assessments. Results from this category of assessment ARE appropriate for use in determining a student grade.

Common Examples: Integrated Performance Assessments (IPA), quarterly interim assessments, document- based questions, evidence-based argument sets, extended research opportunities like National History Day or science fair, end of module tasks, portfolios, laboratory activities, product creation, unit tests, skill-based performance task, and research papers.

State-mandated assessments (MCAP, MISA, HSA) and national/international exams (AP, PSAT, SAT, ACT, IB), while summative in nature, ARE NOT to be used to determine student grades.

Departmental Grade Weighting:

Categories Total Weight Department Percentage

Redistribution

Assessments 70% All Departments Formative = 50%

   Summative = 20%

Classwork and

Participation 30% AFJROTC Classwork = 15%

   Participation = 15%

  Engineering Classwork = 20%

   Participation = 10%

  English Classwork = 20%

   Participation = 10%

  Fine Arts Classwork = 20%

   Participation = 10%

  History Classwork = 20%

   Participation = 10%

  Math Classwork = 20%

   Participation = 10%

  Physical Education Classwork = 15%

   Participation = 15%

  Science Classwork = 20%

   Participation = 10%

  Foreign Language Classwork = 20%

   Participation = 10%