Middle and High School Grading and Reporting Handbook

Overview

Fairfax County Public Schools is committed to consistent grading regulations and practices where grades are an accurate reflection of student learning. The current policies include the separation of achievement and work habits, guidance on providing students additional opportunities to demonstrate proficiency, and the importance of ongoing communication with students and parents.

2024-25 Update

Starting with the 2024-25 school year, there will be several updates to Fairfax County Public School’s secondary grading and reporting policies.

FCPS has worked with students, teachers, parents/caregivers, and school leaders to evaluate recent changes in grading policies and review current policies. The overall goal was to increase consistency and clarity in grading policies across the school division.

Based on this work, FCPS will implement the following changes next school year:

Gradebook Category Weighting

FCPS courses will use these uniform grading categories:

• Summative: These are final projects or tests that measure how well students have mastered what they learned. These assignments will make up 70% of student grades. If students need to improve their score, they may retake these assignments.
• Formative: These are tasks that provide students with feedback on how well they have mastered what they are learning and smaller assignments that allow students to practice content. This includes assignments such as quizzes or homework and will make up 30% of a student’s grade.

Number of Assignments and Percentage Per Quarter

• The required minimum number of assignments per quarter will be set at seven (compared to the current requirement of nine).
• The maximum percentage that a single assignment can count for within a quarter has been increased to 35% (compared to the current maximum of 30%).

Reassessment

Students will have at least opportunity to retake each summative assignments and earn up to 100%.

Grading Scale

Earlier this school year, the School Board voted to adopt a single grading scale within FCPS. The scale is similar to the scale used in previous years with two main differences:

1. Establishing a D- letter grade.
2. Shifting of the numerical ranges for D, D-, and F grades. The new ranges are:
   • A (100-93)
   • A- (92-90)
   • B+ (89-87)
   • B (86-83)
   • B- (82-80)
   • C+ (79-77)
   • C (76-73)
   • C- (72-70)
   • D+ (69-67)
   • D (66-63)
   • D- (62-60)
   • F (59-50)

Progress Report Message and Grading Scale

Middle and high school progress reports include a general message to parents and grading scale descriptions. Official translations are available below.

Middle School (PDFs)

High School (PDFs)