Student Evaluation and Grading/Class Rank 6-72.1

School Board of the City of Virginia Beach
Regulation 6-72.1

INSTRUCTION

Student Evaluation and Grading/Class Rank

1. Grading Codes
   1. Elementary (Grades K-5) - Academic Progress

      Students will receive proficiency scores indicating how well they understand the concepts or skills taught during that marking period. The proficiency scores are:

      • AP: Advanced Proficient - Consistently demonstrates proficiency; grasps, applies and extends key concepts, processes and skills
      • P: Proficient - Regularly grasps and applies key concepts, processes and skills with limited errors
      • DP: Developing Proficiency - Beginning to grasp and apply key concepts, processes and skills
      • N: Novice - Not making expected progress toward proficiency
   2. Elementary (Grades K-5) Student Progress in Citizenship, Participation and Collaboration, Productivity

      Students will receive proficiency scores reflecting how well they understood and demonstrated the concepts or skills taught during the marking period in citizenship, participation and collaboration, and productivity. The proficiency scores are:

      • AP: Advanced Proficient - Consistently demonstrates proficiency; grasps, applies and extends key concepts, processes and skills
      • P: Proficient - Regularly grasps and applies key concepts, processes and skills with limited errors
      • DP: Developing Proficiency - Beginning to grasp and apply key concepts, processes and skills
      • N: Novice - Not making expected progress toward proficiency
   3. Secondary (Grades 6-12)

      Numerical equivalents are authorized for the convenience of teachers in support of letter grades and are not to be interpreted as recommended for evaluating all phases of learning in any given subject. Numerical equivalents are as follows:

      • A = (93 - 100)
      • A- = (90 - 92)
      • B+ = (87 - 89)
      • B = (83 - 86)
      • B- = (82 - 80)
      • C+ = (77 - 79)
      • C = (73 - 76)
      • C- = (70 - 72)
      • D+ = (67 - 69)
      • D = (64 - 66)
      • E = Below 64
   4. Grade Change Procedures

      If a student or the parent or legal guardian of a minor student questions a grade, the procedures listed below will be used.

      1. The student and/or parent or legal guardian of a minor student will request the teacher to review the grading process and computation.
      2. Following the review, the teacher will decide if a grade change should be made and will inform the student and/or parent or legal guardian of the decision.
      3. The student and/or parent or legal guardian of a minor student may appeal the teacher's decision to the principal.
      4. If the teacher is not available, the principal will review the grading process and/or computation and will inform the student and/or parent or legal guardian of a minor student and the teacher of the decision.
2. Class Rank

   The following procedures will be used in computing the class rank of students.

   1. Procedure for all courses

      Each final grade in a graded, attempted credit course will be given the indicated value: A = 4.0, A- = 3.7, B+ = 3.3, B = 3.0, B- = 2.7, C+ = 2.3, C = 2.0, C- = 1.7, D+ = 1.3, D = 1.0, E = O. The values will be multiplied by the amount of credit assigned to the course, and the products for each computation will be totaled and divided by the number of graded, attempted credits. The division of the total is to be carried to four (4) decimal places in obtaining the grade point average of the student. Awarding Bonus Credit for Approved Courses

      After the grade point average of the student has been determined, bonus credit will be added for advanced placement courses and specifically approved courses The Department of Teaching and Learning will determine which courses are to receive bonus credit.

      1. The Department of Teaching and Learning will determine which courses are to receive bonus credit. Year-long courses. Bonus credit will be awarded as follows for year-long courses: (A, A-) =.0488, (B+, B, B-) =.0366, (C+, C, C-) =.0244, (D+, D) =.0122, E=O.
      2. Semester-long courses.

         Bonus credit will be awarded as follows for semester-long courses: (A , A-) = .0244; (B+, B, B-) = .0183; (C+, C, C-) = .0122; (D+, D) = .0061; and E = 0.

      3. Example (using the data from the above example): Total Grade Point Average: 3.4167

         One (1) Yearlong Advanced Placement Course, with grade of "A/93": .0488 bonus

         One (1) Semester Magnet Course, with a grade of "B/86": .0183 bonus

         Computation: 3.4167 + .0488 + .0183 = 3.4838

         Final Total Grade Point Average: 3.4838

   2. Governor’s School for the Arts – awarding bonus credit for approved courses

      Governor’s School for the Arts courses shall receive half the amount of bonus credit as advanced placement courses.

      1. Bonus credit will be awarded as follows for Governor’s School for the Arts courses: (A , A-) = .0122; (B+, B, B-) = .0092; (C+, C, C-) = .0061; (D+, D) = .0031; and E = 0.
   3. Future grades earned in the same or equivalent class will not be used to determine class rank or grade point average. After a course has been passed, no future grade earned in the same course or its equivalent will be used in determining class rank or student grade point average, except as provided in School Board Regulation 5-26.2.
   4. How class rank is determined. Class rank will be determined by assigning the student with the highest average the rank of number one (1); the second highest, the rank of number two (2), etc. In cases where more than one student has the same numerical average, all students with that average will be given the same rank. The next highest average will assume the next rank position, which will indicate the number of students having a higher rank.
      1. Example:

         Student No. 1 GPA = 3.9880 - Rank 1
         Student No. 2 GPA = 3.9880 - Rank 1
         Student No. 3 GPA = 3.8972 - Rank 3
         Student No. 4 GPA = 3.8972 - Rank 3

      The student with the next highest average will have the rank of five (5) in the class, indicating that there are four (4) students who rank higher.

   5. Class rank will be determined at the end of the senior year. All credits earned, regardless of the grade level, will be used in determining class rank.
   6. Honor graduation determination. A student with a 3.000 cumulative grade point average or higher will be considered an honor graduate.
   7. Valedictorians and salutatorians – how determined. The designation of Valedictorian and Salutatorian will be utilized. There will be a Valedictorian and Salutatorian for each advanced program and one for each comprehensive school. A student enrolled in a Virginia Beach City Public Schools advanced academic program who transfers to a comprehensive school during their junior or senior year and does not complete the last four (4) consecutive semesters at the comprehensive school, will not qualify for Valedictorian/Salutatorian.
   8. The student or students with the highest rank at the end of the senior year will be declared the valedictorian(s) of the graduating class. The student or students with the second highest rank at the end of the senior year will be declared the salutatorian(s).

Editor's Note

Section D of School Board Policy 5-29 reads "To be eligible as or valedictorian(s)/salutatorian(s) students must complete the last four (4) consecutive semesters in the high school."

Related Links

School Board Regulation 5-26.2
School Board Policy 5-29
DE and GSA Courses eligible for weighting

Approved by Superintendent: July 16, 1991
Revised by Superintendent: October 19, 1993
Revised by Superintendent: January 18, 1994 (not distributed)
Revised by Superintendent: April 19, 1994
Revised by Superintendent: December 20, 1994
Revised by Superintendent: October 31, 2000
Revised by Superintendent: October 17, 2001
Amended by the School Board: April 20, 2010
Revised by Superintendent: January 9, 2014
Revised by Superintendent: January 14, 2014
Amended by the School Board: January 31, 2025