School Counseling / High School Grading & Grade Point Averages (2024)

• Grading for high school courses is calculated using the formulas below. You can however, click here for an easy to use High School Final Grade Calculator.

  Semester Grades

  Most courses are broken down into parts called semesters. Each semester grade is made up of three grades: two quarter grades and the exam grade.

  2 Out of 3 is a Must!

  To receive a passing grade for the semester, the student must earn a passing grade in :

  1. Both quarter grading periods, or
  2. One quarter grading period and the semester examination.

  All Grades Aren’t Equal!

  Each quarter grade equals 37.5 percent of the final semester grade. The final exam grade equals 25 percent. Add up the total points for each quarter and the semester exam using the table below.

• Once you have your total points, use the table below to see your final semester grade.

• Year-long Courses with a State EOC Exam (Algebra 1, Geometry, Biology, US History)

  Some high school courses are year-long courses and do not issue a grade at the end of a semester, but issue a grade at the end of the year once the student has taken the EOC state exam. The following courses are year-long courses: Algebra 1, Geometry, Biology, and US History, or their equivalent.

  For year-long courses that require the EOC to count as 30% of the final course grade, add up the total points for all of the grades in that course, including the four quarter grades, the midterm and the EOC exam using the table below.

  Grading Scale

1^stQuarter grade = 15%,2^ndQuarter grade = 15%,Midterm Exam = 10%,3^rdQuarter grade = 15%,4^thQuarter grade = 15%,Grade for the EOC Exam = 30%

• Once you have added the total points from the table above, use that number to find the final course grade using the table below.

  Total Points for Final Grades

• Grade Point Average is calculated by dividing the quality points by the credits attempted. A quality point is the numerical value assigned to the letter grade.

• Unweighted (State GPA): The cumulative, unweighted average of grade points earned in all high school courses not forgiven. This GPA includes all high school courses taken in middle school. For graduation purposes, students must meet the minimum GPA requirements of their chosen program. No additional quality points are given for rigorous coursework. No additional quality points are given for plus (+) grades. This is the GPA used for Graduation purposes (2.0) and for Athletic Eligibility.

  Letter Grade	Numerical	Quality Points Per ½ Credit	Quality Points Per 1.0 Credit
  A	90-100	2.0	4.0
  B+	87-89	1.5	3.0
  B	80-86	1.5	3.0
  C+	77-79	1.0	2.0
  C	70-76	1.0	2.0
  D+	67-69	.5	1.0
  D	60-66	.5	1.0
  F	0-59
  I	N/A

• Weighted (District GPA): The cumulative, weighted average of grade points earned in all high school courses earned and not forgiven. This GPA is used to determine class ranking. Additional quality points are given for honors, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, AICE and dual enrollment courses, including technical dual enrollment for students entering 9th grade in 2007-2008. Additional points are given for plus (+) grades.

  High School courses taken in Middle School were first included in this GPA beginning with courses taken in the 2012‐13 school year. This grade point average is our LOCAL GPA and used for class ranking. This GPA includes +’s.

  Semester Weighted GPA: The weighted average of the courses taken in any one semester (includes extra quality points for honors, AP, AICE, IB, and dual enrollment courses, including technical dual enrollment).

  Cumulative Weighted GPA: The weighted average of all courses taken in high school not forgiven (includes extra quality points for honors, AP, AICE, IB, and dual enrollment courses, including technical dual enrollment).

  Class Rank: Class rank shall be computed based upon the student’s cohort. All attempted high school credits earned shall be calculated for class rank, including dual enrollment, early admission, adult education, and transfer credit. Students transferring from one Broward County high school to another in the last 2 semesters (or 4 for block schools) shall not displace, for class ranking recognition purposes, any other student.

  Honors Courses to Receive Quality Points: All courses, which are clearly labeled as “honors”, and/or “advanced”, and/or “gifted”, consistent with State Frameworks and/or District guidelines and coded as such in Broward Course Code Dictionary, shall carry one additional quality point per full credit. Academic foreign languages above the second year are included in this category. Classes labeled “conversational” are not included in this category. An additional quality point may not be earned in honors class if the grade received is below a C.

  Honors Points for Weighted GPA
  Letter Grade	Numerical	Quality Points Per ½ Credit	Quality Points Per 1.0 Credit
  A	90-100	2.5	5
  B+	87-89	2.25	4.5
  B	80-86	2.0	4.0
  C+	77-79	1.75	3.5
  C	70-76	1.5	3.0
  D+	67-69	.75	1.5
  D	60-66	.5	1.0
  F	0-59
  I	N/A

  Dual Enrollment Courses to Receive Quality Points (F.S. 1007.271): Effective for dual enrollment courses taken in 2007-08 and thereafter, all college level courses and career certificate dual enrollment courses completed with a grade of C or better shall receive two quality points. College level courses are defined by approved articulation agreements between The School Board of Broward County, Florida and area colleges and universities. Career Certificate dual enrollment courses are defined as a course sequence that leads to a career certificate and shall not be used to enroll students in isolated career courses. Credit earned shall be recorded in the student’s academic record using the course number and title used by the postsecondary institution.

  Advanced Placement (AP) Courses, Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE), And International Baccalaureate (IB) to Receive Quality Points All classes that are clearly labeled “Pre-Advanced International Certificate of Education” or “ Pre-International Baccalaureate” shall receive one quality point, if the grade received is C or above. All classes that are clearly labeled “Advanced Placement” (AP), “Advanced International Certificate of Education” (AICE) or “International Baccalaureate” (IB) shall receive two quality points if, the grade received is C or above. Students will be required to take the AP, AICE, and/or the IB examination in order to receive two quality points. If a student elects not to take the AP, AICE, and/or IB examination, he/she will receive one quality point for a grade of C or higher which will be reflected by adding a “J” flag to the A13 record.

  AP, AICE, IB, Dual Enrollment Points for Weighted GPA
  Letter Grade	Numerical	Quality Points Per ½ Credit	Quality Points Per 1.0 Credit
  A	90-100	3.0	6.0
  B+	87-89	2.75	5.5
  B	80-86	2.5	5.0
  C+	77-79	2.25	4.5
  C	70-76	2.0	4.0
  D+	67-69	.75	1.5
  D	60-66	.5	1.0
  F	0-59
  I	N/A

• Academic Core GPA: The average of all academic college core courses completed using an additional .5 quality point for each full credit course for honors, AP, IB, AICE, or DE. Starting in school year 2014-15, local honors courses will not be given extra weight in the Academic Core gpa. No extra weight is given to plusses. English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies and World Languages are included in this Grade Point Average. A core course is designated with a “Y” flag on the course record.

  Academic Core Points for Core GPA
  Letter Grade	Numerical	Quality Points Per ½ Credit Regular	Quality Points Per 1.0 Credit Regular	Quality Points Per ½ Credit Honors, AP, AICE, IB, DE	Quality Points Per 1.0 Credit Honors, AP, AICE, IB, DE
  A	90-100	2.0	4.0	2.25	4.5
  B+	87-89	1.5	3.0	1.75	3.5
  B	80-86	1.5	3.0	1.75	3.5
  C+	77-79	1.0	2.0	1.25	2.5
  C	70-76	1.0	2.0	1.25	2.5
  D+	67-69	.5	1.0	.75	1.5
  D	60-66	.5	1.0	.75	1.5
  F	0-59
  I	N/A

• Bright Futures GPA: A weighted scale is applied to college preparatory courses (Florida Academic Scholars, Florida Medallion Scholars, and Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars Awards). That is, 0.5 additional quality points for each full credit and .25 additional quality points for each half-credit is awarded for courses that are more challenging. An unweighted scale is applied to career preparatory courses (Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars Award). All courses can be found in the Bright Futures Comprehensive Course Code Table at Bright Futures Course Table (osfaffelp.org)

  Students can check their Bright Futures GPA by going here:https://www.floridashines.org/go-to-college/pay-for-college

  Local Honors courses do not receive additional quality points. Also, the (+) grade is not recognized by Bright Futures.

  Bright Futures Eligible Courses
  Letter Grade	Numerical	Quality Points Per ½ Credit Regular	Quality Points Per 1.0 Credit Regular	Quality Points Per ½ Credit Honors, AP, AICE, IB, DE	Quality Points Per 1.0 Credit Honors, AP, AICE, IB, DE
  A	90-100	2.0	4.0	2.25	4.5
  B+	87-89	1.5	3.0	1.75	3.5
  B	80-86	1.5	3.0	1.75	3.5
  C+	77-79	1.0	2.0	1.25	2.5
  C	70-76	1.0	2.0	1.25	2.5
  D+	67-69	.5	1.0	.75	1.5
  D	60-66	.5	1.0	.75	1.5
  F	0-59
  I	N/A

• Grade Forgiveness Rule

  For high school students, forgiveness for required courses shall be limited to replacing a grade of D, F, or I with a grade of C or higher, earned subsequently in the same or comparable course. Forgiveness for elective courses shall be limited to replacing a grade of D, F, or I with a grade of C or higher earned subsequently by retaking another course. The student’s record, however, will show all courses taken. All forgiveness courses and grades must be included on a student’s transcript as an accurate reflection of a student’s record of achievement.

  Grade Averaging

  For the purpose of graduation, grade averaging of the two semesters for a year-long course will be permitted when one is a failing grade and the other grade is C or higher.

  • In order to qualify for grade averaging the student must meet the following criteria in that course:
    • Earn an F in one semester and a C or higher in the other semester
    • In the semester where the F was earned the student must have a C or higher on the semester exam and is absent no more than 10% of the instructional time during the failed
      

• Interim Reports

  • Interim reports indicate if a student is having difficulties.
  • No later than midway between marking periods, an interim report shall be sent to parents

  Report Cards

  • Report cards are issued at the end of every marking period and cover a period of approximately 45 school days.

  Honor Roll

  • Each school determines Honor Roll criteria for students. Check with your child’s school counselor for honor roll information.

• High School Exams and Exam Exemptions

  Semester examinations for a course shall be scheduled and administered in accordance with the guidelines provided by the District.

  Exam Exemptions

  • A student may be exempt from the midterm and/or final exams in a high school course under the following criteria:
    • The student earns a grade of “B” or better in all marking periods of the respective high school course during the semester of the exemption.
    • The student may waive eligible midterms or final exams for up to one-half all high school or higher level courses on the student’s regular school day schedule
    • AP/IB/AICE midterm exams cannot be exempted; however, the student may exempt the final exam. Teachers are encouraged to give an alternative assessment in lieu of a traditional final exam.
    • Dual enrollment midterm and final exams may not be exempted.
    • Courses taken through Florida Virtual School or Broward Virtual School are not eligible for exemption.
    • The statewide, standardized EOC assessments, required by statute, are not eligible for exemption; however, the student may exempt the midterm exam.

  Midterm and/or final exams cannot be retroactively exempted once the student takes the exam.

• School Counseling

  1400 NW 14th Court

  Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33311

  Phone: 754-321-1675

  Fax: --

  TTL: --

  Phone: --

  Daniel Shapiro

  Director