Individual Class Settings

Grading Scale

These percentages should be set to your grading scale. Enter the lowest (bottom) percentage that will be accepted for each letter grade. Enter spaces to remove any extra digits displayed. The displayed letter grades are from the SetUp | Teacher Settings menu.

Letter grades entered as assignment grades are assigned a numerical equivalent. The letter grade A+ is converted to your top percentage (usually 100%). The letter grade of E or F is converted to 0%. Other percentages are found by taking the average of the bottom and top percentages in each letter grade range. For example, if the bottom B- is 80%, and the bottom B is 83.333%, the letter grade of B- is assigned the average 81.667%. Then the percentage is multiplied by the number of points possible (weight) entered for the assignment. Each of the 12 letter grades must be assigned a percentage.

Category Names

Each assignment must be in one of the four categories. Homework, Lab, Quiz, and Test are the default categories. You may use these or choose your own category names. You do not need to use all categories. Each category name must begin with a different first letter. Each category has the option of having the lowest score removed (thrown out) when grades are calculated. This setting is on the fourth page of the SetUp menu | Teacher Settings selection. Each class may have different category names. For example, a business teacher may teach typing and accounting. The typing class could have a category called timings. Timings would not make any sense in an accounting class.

The special category represented by the @ symbol allows you to enter assignment grades that will not be calculated to determine grades. This feature allows a record of a pre-test score or to indicate if a lab fee was paid.

Quarter Calculation Method

Term/Quarter grades can be calculated by either cumulative points or by weighting each category.

If Cumulative Points Method is chosen, the total points earned during the term will be compared to the total points possible. The letter grade will be determined by the percentages you entered for this class. The numbers displayed for category weights will be ignored if Cumulative Points was chosen. Cumulative Points is the default grading method.

The Weighting/Category Method causes each category to decide a set percent of the quarter grade. For example, you can have homework count 20%, lab 10%, quizzes 30%, and tests 40%. These percentages must total 100%. Assignments in each category can also be weighted by varying the number of points possible on each assignment.

If no points are possible in a category, yet the category was assigned a percentage weight, that weight will be distributed to the other categories. If the above weights are used, and no tests have been given, the 40% must be distributed to the other categories. Otherwise, 40% of every student's grade would include an F grade (40% of 0 points). Adjusted weights would change to homework 33.333%, lab 16.667%, and quizzes 50%. When the first test is recorded, the weights would change back to their assigned weights.

If weighting by category is chosen, the Grading Scale information on the Individual Printout will show how the quarter grade was calculated using the different weights and percentages. If the cumulative points method is chosen, the Grading Scale Information includes the number of points needed to earn each letter grade.

If you choose weighting by category, cumulative points cannot be chosen for the semester grade, since the point totals would be misleading. If Weighting by category is chosen, cumulative points would not be printed on Individual and detailed reports since point totals would be misleading.

Semester Calculation Method

To work properly, the grades from the previous term (quarter) must be transferred forward with the Utility Menu selection. Nine different methods can be used to calculate semester grades. Different methods can be used for different classes.

If Cumulative Points Method is chosen, total points earned in all terms will be added. The semester grade will be based on the total points earned out of the total points possible. This method is best if you have a different number of total points possible in each quarter. If you need to keep a running total of points earned out of points possible in each category for the semester, the Cumulative Points/Weighted Semester Exam method should be chosen.

If Weight/Percentages is chosen, the semester grade is determined by the entered weights for each term and semester exam. The weights for the quarters (terms) and semester exam must total 100%. If you need to keep a running total of points earned out of points possible in each category for the semester, the Cumulative Categories/Weighted Semester Exam method should be chosen.

The Weight/Numbers method is identical to the Weighting/Percentages method, but the total does not have to equal 100. For example, term 1 could count as 2, term 2 as 2, term 3 as 2, and the semester exam as 1 for a total of 7. Each term would be 2/7 of the total weight. The semester exam would be 1/7 of the total weight.

If the term or semester exam has not been used, yet that term or semester exam is assigned a percentage weight, that weight will be distributed to the other term(s). For example, if we use the above weights, and the semester exam has not been given yet, the 20% must be distributed to the other terms. Otherwise, 20% of every student's grade would include an F grade (20% of 0 points). Since the terms are weighted equally, the 20% would be distributed equally to the two terms. These weights would change 1st Term to 50% and 2nd Term to 50%. When the semester exam is completed, the grade would be calculated based on the assigned weights (40%, 40% and 20%).

The Last Quarter Only Method is method uses only the current term (quarter) to decide the semester grade. The previous term (quarter) grades will be printed on some reports, but they will be ignored in the calculations.

The Weighting/12 Point Scale method assigns numerical values to the term letter grade. At the end of the semester, the weighted numerical values are used to determine the final semester grade. The weights for the quarters (terms) and semester exam must total 100%. A+ = 12, A = 11, A- = 10, B+ = 9, B = 8, B- = 7, C+ = 6, C = 5, C- = 4, D+ = 3, D = 2, D- = 1, and F = 0.

The Quality/4 Pt Scale method assigns numerical values to the term letter grade. At the end of the semester, the weighted numerical values are used to determine the final semester grade. Different schools use different 4 point scales to determine grades. The program values can be changed to match your school's values. The numerical 4 point values are entered on the SetUp | Teacher Settings Menu Selection.

The College Semester method uses one term per semester. The semester grade is identical to the term (quarter) grade. The semester exam is included as one of the 60 assignments.

The Cumulative Points/Weighted Semester Exam method keeps track of the total points earned out of the total points possible in each category for the semester. The point totals earned and possible in all terms will be added and used on the printouts. The pre-exam semester grade will be based on the total points earned out of the total points possible on the regular assignments. Since the total weight of the semester is 100%, the weight of the pre-exam grade equals 100% minus the percentage weight of the semester exam.

The Cumulative Categories/Weighted Semester Exam method keeps track of the total points earned out of the total points possible in each category for the semester. The semester points earned/points possible will be used on the printouts. The weights displayed for the quarter method are used to calculate the pre-exam semester grade. The pre-exam semester grade only includes the regular assignments. Since the total weight of the semester is 100%, the weight of the pre-exam grade equals 100% minus the percentage weight of the semester exam. If a weighted semester exam is not used you should choose Cumulative Points method above.

Saving the Displayed Information

After entering this information, click the Save Changes button to save these settings.

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