005.15.05 Ark. Code R. 004

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 10, October, 2024

Rule 005.15.05-004 - Rules Governing Uniform Grading Scales for Public Secondary Schools and Optional Use in Public Elementary Schools

1.00 Uniform Grading Scales for Public Secondary Schools

1.01 These Rules shall be known as the Arkansas Department of Education's Rules Governing Uniform Grading Scales for Public Secondary Schools and for Optional Use in Public Elementary Schools.

1.02 These Rules are enacted pursuant to the State Board of Education's authority under Arkansas Code Ann. § 6-11-105 and Ark. Code Ann. § 6-15-902 and Act 2152 of 2005.

2.00 Purpose

2.01 These Rules establish the uniform grading scales to be used by all public secondary schools in the state for regular courses, Advanced Placement courses, International Baccalaureate courses, approved weighted honors courses and approved weighted concurrent credit college courses.

2.02 These Rules establish the numeric value given to each letter grade for the purpose of determining grade average in all public secondary schools in the state for regular courses, Advanced Placement courses, International Baccalaureate courses, approved weighted concurrent credit college courses and approved weighted honors courses.

2.03 These Rules provide an optional uniform grading scale for public elementary schools.

3.00 Definitions

3.01 For the purpose of these Rules, a "secondary school" is any school containing one or more grades from 7 through 12 or any middle school having any combination of grades 5-8 with the exception of a school having only grade 5, grade 6, or the combination of grades 5-6.

3.02 An "elementary school" is a school having any combination of one or more grades from kindergarten through grade 6.

3.03 "Advanced Placement" courses are those courses taught following guidelines as provided for Advanced Placement courses by The College Board. Advanced Placement courses provide the opportunity for students to take a national examination through which they may qualify for college/university level credit.

3.04 "International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program" courses are those taught following guidelines as provided for IB courses by the IB Organization. IB courses provide the opportunity for students to take a national examination.

3.05 "College Courses" are courses that are offered and taught under the direction of an accredited institution of higher education. Under separate Rules and Regulations students may qualify for concurrent credit for such courses. For a concurrent college course to receive a weighted grade, it must be approved through the process described in these rules and regulations.

3.06 "Honors Courses" are courses provided through an accredited high school that have been approved by a Department of Education Committee as honors courses. Honors courses must stress higher order learning and be offered in addition to curriculum offerings required by the Standards for Accreditation, Arkansas Public Schools.

3.07 A student is designated as "special education" if he/she has been through the identification and selection process and has an approved Individualized Education Plan that guides placement in instruction.

4.00 Grading scale and numerical values

4.01 The following scale is to be the Uniform Grading Scale and numeric values for secondary schools and the optional Uniform Grading Scale for elementary schools. Grades earned in college courses will be assigned the following numeric values when such courses are used to compute student grade point average.

A 90-100 = 4 points

B 80 - 89 = 3 points

C 70 - 79 = 2 points

D 60 - 69 = 1 point

F 0 - 59 = 0 points

4.02 The following scale is to be the Uniform Grading Scale and numeric values for Advanced Placement courses, courses offered under the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, and approved honors courses.

A 90-100 = 5 points

B 80 - 89 = 4 points

C 70 -79 = 3 points

D 60 -69 = 2 points

F 0 -59 = 0 points

4.03 Weighted credit shall be allowed for Advanced Placement courses and courses offered under the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program if:

(A) The student takes the entire Advanced Placement course or the entire course offered in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program in a particular subject;

(B) The student completes the applicable test offered by the College Board for Advanced Placement courses at the end of the Advanced Placement course, or the applicable test offered by the International Baccalaureate Organization at the time prescribed by the International Baccalaureate Organization; and

(C)

(i) The teacher of the Advanced Placement course meets Arkansas teacher licensure requirements and:

(a) Attends a College Board Advanced Placement Summer Institute no less than once every five (5) years; or

(b) Completes an additional training plan for Advanced Placement, within three (3) years of commencing the additional training plan; or

(ii) The teacher of the course offered under the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program meets Arkansas teacher licensure requirements and attends the training required by the International Baccalaureate Organization.

5.00 Approval of weighted honors courses and/or weighted concurrent credit college courses.

5.01 A local school district may apply to the Department of Education for approval of courses to be designated as weighted "honors courses."

5.02 The local school board may decide whether or not to adopt a local policy to allow high school students in the district to take college courses for weighted credit equal to the numeric grade awarded in Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate Diploma Program and Arkansas Department of Education approved honors classes.

5.03 If a local school board adopts such a policy, the district must apply to the Department of Education for approval of "concurrent enrollment college Courses" to be designated as a weighted course. The application shall be reviewed for approval to assign a numeric grade value, which may include weighted credit.

5.04 Applications for weighted honors courses and/ or weighted concurrent college courses will be reviewed for approval based on the following criteria:

1. Letter from the superintendent or principal describing how the course exceeds expectations for coursework required under the Standards for Accreditation, Arkansas Public Schools.

2. Grade level(s) of students who will be enrolled in the course.

3. Statement of learner outcomes, objectives, and/or learning expectations based on revised curriculum frameworks where appropriate.

4. Listing of unit topics to be included in the course.

5. Description of instructional strategies demonstrating problem solving, critical thinking, and higher order learning processes. This description should include at least one exemplary lesson.

6. Description of performance based assessment strategies to be implemented in the classroom.

7. Clear evidence that the concurrent credit course is substantially the same as an Advanced Placement Course.

005.15.05 Ark. Code R. 004

11/10/2005