Consistency

• Teachers should make their grading policies clear in a course syllabus, so students will understand from the beginning how grades are determined. Teachers should not deviate from their grading policies. By communicating expectations up front, it is less likely that a teacher will be required to defend a grade or a student will lose confidence in a teacher's fairness.
  
  

Types

• Grades are averaged using either a point or percentage system. With a percentage system, all grades are based on a 100-point scale with letter grades assigned to percentage points. For example, 100 to 90 is an A, 89 to 80 is a B and so forth. A point system is based on a 4.0 scale with 4 being an A, 3 being a B, etc.
  
  

Variations

• Rather than averaging all grades together based on the same percentage, teachers and school districts often have a policy in which grade categories are calculated differently. For example, tests and projects could count for 35 percent of the overall grade, meaning all tests and projects are averaged together and then averaged with the other grades at 35 percent. Homework, class work and quizzes could have their own weights assigned.
  
  

Rubrics

• A scoring tool used by many teachers, a rubric is an instructor-generated system used to evaluate and assess student work. Rubrics outline criteria that teachers use to grade assignments, so students understand the teacher's expectations and how to effectively complete assignments. Teachers are also able to grade more objectively since they are following a pre-set list of standards.
  
  

Other Considerations

• When developing a grading policy, a teacher must also consider guidelines for late and make-up work. Some teachers deduct points for each day an assignment is late; others allow a grace period or even refuse to accept a late assignment. Teachers may also encourage student success by offering extra credit assignments or exam retakes to give students every opportunity to excel. In addition, some teachers grade only on the basis of a student's knowledge and skills while others also evaluate a student on classroom participation, attendance and behavior.
  
  

Misconceptions

• Students and parents alike may assume that all teachers create their own grading policies. In actuality, many schools and school districts require some consistency from all teachers when it comes to grading policies and may dictate certain guidelines to their faculties.