Ten-Point Grading Scale
Ten-Point Grading Scale
Ten-Point Grading Scale
The Kershaw County School District will use a 10-point grading scale for grades 1-12 beginning with the 2016-17 school year. The new 10-point grading scale replaces the 7-point grading scale that was previously used.
Background:
In April 2016, the State Board of Education voted to adopt a 10-point grading scale for all high school courses in South Carolina including middle school students taking high school credit courses. In June, the Kershaw County Board of School Trustees voted to also apply this for the elementary and middle grades 1-8. Kindergarten students will continue to be graded using a teacher-developed grading scale that is more age appropriate.
This change will have a positive impact on students across the state, leveling the playing field for them as they compete for academic and athletic awards and scholarships. Additionally, this change will enable students to have a seamless transition into higher education as colleges and universities generally use the 10-point grading scale. It is especially helpful to our military families who move a great deal and come into South Carolina from states where 10-point scales are used.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Is this new grading scale retroactive?
No. It goes into effect for the 2016-17 school year and only impacts a student’s GPA on courses taken in 2016-17 and beyond.
How will this change affect students already in high school?
As of August 15, 2016, all GPAs earned under the previous 7-point scale were “stored and locked down.” High school students’ GPAs will be calculated using a combination of the grading scales under which they were earned. For example, current seniors’ final GPAs will be determined using one year of the 10-point grading scale and three years of the previous 7-point grading scale. Current juniors’ final GPAs will be calculated using two years of the 10-point grading scale and two years of the 7-point grading scale. Current sophomores’ final GPAs will be calculated using three years of the 10-point grading scale and one year of the 7-point grading scale. Outside of any high school classes taken before the 2016-17 school year, current high school freshmen will receive final GPAs calculated on the 10-point grading scale.
How will GPAs be affected by this change in grading?
GPAs are an outcome of the quality points associated with each numeric grade a student earns related to the class he or she took. A student’s final transcript will average all the quality points and divide that by the number of credits attempted.
Highlights of the new 10-point grading scale (see below) when compared to the old 7-point grading scale:
- The new 10-point scale creates the floor for a “passing grade” at 60 (D) rather than 70. The floor for a “C” is 70; “B” is 80; and “A” is 90. This aligns to the college scale which helps with dual credit courses taken in high school.
- It continues to award weighted points for taking harder courses such as Honors, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and Dual Enrollment courses.
- The new scale provides increasing quality points by 0.10 for each numeric grade.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
South Carolina Uniform Grading Scale Conversions
| Numerical Average | Letter Grade | College Prep Weighting | Honors Weighting | AP/IB/Dual Credit Weighting |
|
100 |
A |
5.000 |
5.500 |
6.000 |
|
99 |
A |
4.900 |
5.400 |
5.900 |
|
98 |
A |
4.800 |
5.300 |
5.800 |
|
97 |
A |
4.700 |
5.200 |
5.700 |
|
96 |
A |
4.600 |
5.100 |
5.600 |
|
95 |
A |
4.500 |
5.000 |
5.500 |
|
94 |
A |
4.400 |
4.900 |
5.400 |
|
93 |
A |
4.300 |
4.800 |
5.300 |
|
92 |
A |
4.200 |
4.700 |
5.200 |
|
91 |
A |
4.100 |
4.600 |
5.100 |
|
90 |
A |
4.000 |
4.500 |
5.000 |
|
89 |
B |
3.900 |
4.400 |
4.900 |
|
88 |
B |
3.800 |
4.300 |
4.800 |
|
87 |
B |
3.700 |
4.200 |
4.700 |
|
86 |
B |
3.600 |
4.100 |
4.600 |
|
85 |
B |
3.500 |
4.000 |
4.500 |
|
84 |
B |
3.400 |
3.900 |
4.400 |
|
83 |
B |
3.300 |
3.800 |
4.300 |
|
82 |
B |
3.200 |
3.700 |
4.200 |
|
81 |
B |
3.100 |
3.600 |
4.100 |
|
80 |
B |
3.000 |
3.500 |
4.000 |
|
79 |
C |
2.900 |
3.400 |
3.900 |
|
78 |
C |
2.800 |
3.300 |
3.800 |
|
77 |
C |
2.700 |
3.200 |
3.700 |
|
76 |
C |
2.600 |
3.100 |
3.600 |
|
75 |
C |
2.500 |
3.000 |
3.500 |
|
74 |
C |
2.400 |
2.900 |
3.400 |
|
73 |
C |
2.300 |
2.800 |
3.300 |
|
72 |
C |
2.200 |
2.700 |
3.200 |
|
71 |
C |
2.100 |
2.600 |
3.100 |
|
70 |
C |
2.000 |
2.500 |
3.000 |
|
69 |
D |
1.900 |
2.400 |
2.900 |
|
68 |
D |
1.800 |
2.300 |
2.800 |
|
67 |
D |
1.700 |
2.200 |
2.700 |
|
66 |
D |
1.600 |
2.100 |
2.600 |
|
65 |
D |
1.500 |
2.000 |
2.500 |
|
64 |
D |
1.400 |
1.900 |
2.400 |
|
63 |
D |
1.300 |
1.800 |
2.300 |
|
62 |
D |
1.200 |
1.700 |
2.200 |
|
61 |
D |
1.100 |
1.600 |
2.100 |
|
60 |
D |
1.000 |
1.500 |
2.000 |
|
59 |
F |
0.900 |
1.400 |
1.900 |
|
58 |
F |
0.800 |
1.300 |
1.800 |
|
57 |
F |
0.700 |
1.200 |
1.700 |
|
56 |
F |
0.600 |
1.100 |
1.600 |
|
55 |
F |
0.500 |
1.000 |
1.500 |
|
54 |
F |
0.400 |
0.900 |
1.400 |
|
53 |
F |
0.300 |
0.800 |
1.300 |
|
52 |
F |
0.200 |
0.700 |
1.200 |
|
51 |
F |
0.100 |
0.600 |
1.100 |