To provide increased flexibility to students and ensure they were not penalized by the challenges of distance learning, FCPS made the following changes to the middle and high school grading policies for the 2020-21 school year only. These changes were announced in March of 2021.

Key options for high school students:

• Use of No Mark (NM) instead of F grades for all courses. No credit was awarded, and the course was not factored into the student’s grade point average (GPA).
• Students/families could choose a mark of “P” (pass) instead of passing letter grades as their final mark in up to two current high school courses. Students had the opportunity to choose this through fourth quarter. This flexibility is in addition to the allowances for designating courses as pass/fail at the beginning of the school year. Therefore, a student’s transcript may include more marks of “P” than typically seen on an FCPS transcript.

Key options for middle school students:

• Use of No Mark (NM) instead of F grades for all courses.
• Students receiving a final mark of D / D+ in any course were assigned a mark of “P” (pass) on the report card.  
• Students/families could choose a mark of “P” (pass) instead of passing letter grades (C’s, for example) for any course.

Additional information can be found on the Secondary Grading and Reporting page.

Schools were opened virtually with a schedule as close to “normal” as possible. Schools throughout the division followed a consistent instructional schedule and provided more live, face-to-face online (synchronous) student learning.

Students received virtual instruction 5 days per week. The week included 4 days of live, face-to-face online instruction with teachers Tuesday through Friday. Mondays were used for independent learning (asynchronous). Some students received additional teacher assistance or intervention as needed on Mondays.

Middle and high school students followed an A/B block schedule. Each class was 80 minutes long with 15-minute screen time breaks between classes.

Student attendance was required and all students received assignments that would be graded.

Students and parents could notice a more rigorous and engaging virtual learning program with greater connections for all students at all grade levels. Parents and caregivers were supported with additional resources to assist their children’s online learning.

The staff at each school continued to work together to ensure that each student had consistent, reliable technology to access instruction each and every day. Laptops, MiFis, and other resources were available to support every student.

The two-week delay in the start of the school year allowed teachers and other school-based staff members to engage in professional development to prepare them for teaching and learning in a virtual environment. Additionally, school teams used the days leading up to the first day of school on September 8 to connect with families and ensure that students had access to the necessary links and could practice using the links for class. A large portion of time was spent training teachers on how to support their students’ social and emotional well-being to address anxiety students may be feeling at this difficult time. 

Information about High School Attendance, Grading, and Reporting During COVID-19 Closure Spring 2020

The following information provides key points about attendance, grading, and reporting for students. If you have any questions or require additional information, please reach out to the student’s school counselor.

The division’s goals for Distance Learning during Spring 2020 included:

• Continuity of learning to the greatest degree possible.
• Ongoing connections between teachers and students.
• Sense of normalcy and routine during a stressful time. 

High School Attendance

For students in high school courses, participation in Distance Learning in the fourth quarter was essential for students to complete required new course content per the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) guidelines for earning high school credit.

When students were absent from synchronous sessions, teachers noted student’s non-participation in synchronous sessions in SIS, which was visible to parents. 

The data was not included in student attendance history and was not reported to the VDOE.

Students who were not engaged in any form of synchronous or asynchronous work were contacted by the teacher and/or other staff members, such as the school counselor, to encourage participation and remove barriers if possible.

High School Grading and Reporting

Considerations

• Based on recommendations from the VDOE, grades were not assigned during Distance Learning.
• Student grades and advancement to the next grade level were not negatively impacted by the state-wide closure of schools.
• Student engagement in Distance Learning ensured access to essential standards for each course and also provided a sense of routine and connection to peers and trusted adults.
• FCPS recognizes that students’ and families’ abilities to connect to Distance Learning were wide-ranging and diverse.

Completing Third Quarter

Third Quarter Timeline: The third quarter was extended until May 1, 2020. However, the third quarter grade book was closed to new assignments as of March 13, 2020. Students worked with their teachers to make up 3rd quarter missing/incomplete assignments and complete reassessments as feasible by May 1, 2020. 

For students who did not have access to technology or connectivity, teachers and school counselors worked together to determine appropriate opportunities and resources. 

Distance Learning Feedback During Quarter 4

Fourth Quarter Timeline: For high school students, the fourth quarter ended on Friday, June 12, 2020. 

Students received feedback such as comments on quality of work and guidance for improvement. Assignment “marks” were entered in SIS and were: Proficient, Attempted, or Not Attempted.  Students and families were able to see “marks” in SIS ParentVUE and StudentVUE, though weekly emails were not sent since there was not a fourth quarter grade.

All fourth quarter grades were No Mark (NM).

Final Grades and Awarding Credit for HS Courses

VDOE guidance was that school divisions must award standard credit for high school credit-bearing courses by ensuring that students have completed a majority of required standards, competencies, and objectives, including those that are essential for success in subsequent coursework. 

Final Exams

There was no required final exam and/or culminating activity included as part of the final course grade calculation during the 2019-20 school year.

Calculating Final Grade For Year-Long Courses

Schools/teachers had the discretion of raising a student's final grade by one grade distribution (B to B+), based on demonstrated proficiency of fourth quarter learning. A student with an F average may increase to any D grade for final mark based on fourth quarter proficiency of learning. 

• A student’s final grade was the highest of the following:
  • Average of Quarters 1, 2, & 3
  • Average of Quarters 1, 2, & 3 w/1 grade distribution increase (if applicable) 
  • 1st Semester Grade
  • 1st Semester Grade w/ 1 grade distribution increase (if applicable)
  • Quality Points as per FCPS Grading and Reporting
• For Rolling Gradebooks a student’s final grade was the highest of the following:
  • Quarter 3 grade
  • Quarter 3 Grade w/1 grade distribution increase (if applicable)
  • 1st Semester Grade
  • 1st Semester Grade w/1 grade distribution increase (if applicable)

Calculating Final Grade For Semester Courses

Schools/teachers had the discretion of raising a student's final grade by two grade distributions (B to A-), based on demonstrated proficiency of fourth quarter learning. A student with an F at third quarter may increase to any D grade. 

A student’s final grade was the highest of the following:

• Quarter 3 Average
• Quarter 3 Average w/up to a two grade distribution increase (if applicable) 

Special Consideration for Seniors 

VDOE flexibility ensured that 12th graders who were expected to graduate on time as of the March 13, 2020 school closure would still graduate on time. Schools worked with all seniors to provide opportunities to meet their graduation requirements. The last day of school for seniors was May 29, 2020.

Special Considerations for Dual Enrollment

While the majority of our dual enrollment courses are offered through Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), we also have dual enrollment courses with George Mason University, James Madison University, and Shenandoah University. Each partner had a different methodology regarding how to finish the course, and we worked closely with each college to find the best solution for students to receive credit. Guidance was shared directly with students through their dual enrollment teachers.