High School Grading Scales
In each course, the academic grade a student earns shall reflect the student's achievement of grade level expectations and satisfaction of attendance requirements.
GRADING SCALE FOR THE 2015/2016 SCHOOL YEAR

• A= 90 – 100:  Excellent Performance

• B= 80-89:  Very Good Performance

• C= 70-79:  Satisfactory Performance

• D= 60-69:  Inconsistent, Low Performance

• F= Below 60:  Unsatisfactory Performance

Grades will be recorded numerically, with a letter grade legend provided. GRADING SCALE FOR STUDENTS PRIOR TO THE 2015/2016 SCHOOL YEAR Letter grades will be used for all courses. Plus (+) and minus (-) signs will not be used.

• A= 93 – 100:  Excellent Performance

• B= 85 – 92:  Very Good Performance

• C= 77 – 84:  Satisfactory Performance

• D= 70 – 76:  Inconsistent, Low Performance

• F= Below 70:  Unsatisfactory Performance

• I= Incomplete;  Student has not fulfilled the course requirements.

Calculation of Final Course Grade
GRADING SCALE FOR THE 2015/2016 SCHOOL YEAR 

In a yearlong course, the final grade shall be based on the formula:

Semester 1 (40%) + Semester 2 (40%) + Final examination (20%) = final grade. 
The examination grade is the numeric score on the EOC, end of course assessment, or the teacher-provided comprehensive examination. In a semester course, the final grade shall be based on the formula:

Quarter 1 (40%) + Quarter 2 (40%) + Examination (20%) = final grade. 
The examination grade is the numeric score on the EOC, end of course assessment, or the teacher-provided comprehensive examination. 

GRADING SCALE FOR STUDENTS PRIOR TO THE 2015/2016 SCHOOL YEAR 

In a yearlong course:
Semester 1 (37.50%) + Semester 2 (37.50%) + Final examination (25%) = final grade 

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In a semester course:
Quarter 1 (37.50%) + Quarter 2 (37.50%) + Final examination (25%) = final grade
Grade Point Average To determine an unweighted GPA: 

Divide the total unweighted quality points by the total earned credits


Determining Your Weighted GPA 
Divide the total weighted quality points by the total earned credits.
Please note:   

• All courses taken at the middle school for high school requirement(s) will not calculate in the GPA

• A GPA calculated at mid-term is an Interim GPA. An Interim GPA is based upon all final course grades and, for courses in progress, the alternate final marks.

The following courses are included in calculation of GPA: 

• Course work attempted in CMS in grades 9 through 12, unless the course is one that is specifically exempted from inclusion in GPA (see #2, below). The course work may be taken during the regular or extended year term, or at an alternative school site.

• Courses that a CMS student takes and fails at a CMS school and repeats at a non-CMS institution in grades 9-12.

• Courses taken in accredited educational institutions in grades 9-12 before the student enrolled in CMS.

• New course work taken at accredited non-CMS educational institutions in grades 9-12 that is necessary for the student to satisfy a graduation requirement and is not reasonably available to the student within CMS (see IKF-R for additional information on this requirement).

• New course work taken in grades 9-12 at accredited non-CMS educational institutions that the principal and the superintendent’s designee approve for inclusion as a graduation requirement, as set forth in IKF-R;

• Courses taken at institutions of higher education that are included in an articulation agreement or memorandum of understanding between the institution and CMS regarding courses for which students may receive credits towards graduation.

The following courses are not included in calculation of GPA:

•  Courses transferred from home schools (effective with the 2003 – 2004 school year);

• Courses transferred from non-accredited schools (effective with the 2003 – 2004 school year);

•  New course work taken by CMS students at accredited non-CMS institutions that does not meet the criteria set forth above for inclusion in graduation requirements;

• Courses for which grades are awarded pass/fail, such as courses taken through the Credit by Demonstrated Mastery (CDM) process and Credit Recovery; and

• CMS courses noted as not being included in the GPA calculation in the current year’s “High School Planning Guide.”

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Class Rank All students enrolled in a school at the time class ranks are calculated will be included in the class ranking.

In order to be eligible to be Valedictorian or Salutatorian at a particular high school, a student must have been enrolled at that school and have been a member of the class with which he or she is being ranked fro the beginning of second semester of the school year preceding the student's senior year.  If a student is graduating early, the student must have been enrolled at the school from the beginning of second semester of his or her tenth grade year.  

Computation
Class rank will be determined by ranking all students numerically by weighted GPA.  The student(s) with the highest average will be assigned a rank of number one (1) in the class.  The student(s) with the second highest average will be assigned with the next highest rank.  Students who have the same GPA will have the same rank in the class.

Junior Marshals
Junior Marshals are determined by ranking students according to the weighted GPA's calculated at the beginning of first semester of the students' junior year.

Valedictorian and Salutatorian
Valedictorian and Salutatorian are determined by ranking seniors according to the weighted GPAs calculated at the end of second semester of the students' senior year.

Class Rank Schedule
Grade 9:  End of 1st Semester
Grade 10:  On the 15th School Day
Grade 11:  On the 15th School day & the End of 1st Semester
Grade 12:  On the 15th School Day, End of 1st Semester, & End of 2nd Semester


Mid-Year Graduation 
Seniors who have satisfied all North Carolina and CMS graduation requirements at the end of first semester of their senior year are eligible to graduate in January of their senior year ("mid-year graduation").  This option is available only for eligible students who affirmatively elect to graduate at the mid-year.  Students who are eligible for mid-year graduation who do not make this election will continue to be enrolled in CMS and graduate in June of their senior year.In order to determine if a student is eligible for mid-year graduation, the procedures below must be followed:

Mid-Year Graduation Procedures
1. A student may be considered for mid-year graduation only if the date of his or her sixteenth birthday is on or before the student's anticipated date of graduation.

2. The student must work with the school counselor to develop a written education and career plan outlining the courses in which the student plans to enroll that will enable the student to meet North Carolina and CMS graduation requirements for the student's assigned graduating class by the end of first semester of his or her senior year. 

3. Prior to the first day of July 1 following a student's junior year in high school, the student must submit to the principal a Request for Mid-year Graduation that contains the following information:

• The written education and career plan; and

• Written verification by the counselor that all graduation requirements can be met at the end of      first semester of the student's senior year in high school and that the student will reach his/her sixteenth birthday on or before the anticipated date of graduation; and

• If a student is under the age of eighteen, written permission from the student's parent.

Classification and Class Rankings
A student who elects to graduate at the end of first semester will be included in first semester senior class rankings.  However, these students are not eligible for Valedictorian or Salutatorian honors, which are reserved for students graduating at the end of the school year.

Status in CMS
Students who graduate from high school at the mid-year will no longer be enrolled in CMS and, as such, will not be allowed to participate in school and extra-curricular activities, such as interscholastic athletics, June graduation ceremonies, honors and awards ceremonies, and clubs.  They may attend Senior Prom as the guest of a current student.