Secondary

• Each letter grade will consist of a 10-point range.
• Each letter grade will include a low, middle, and high grade.
• A plus (+) and a minus (-) will be assigned to the high and low end of each letter grade range.

A student’s Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated by adding up the number of quality points the student earned and dividing it by the number of courses the student took. For example, a student who earned 2 As, 3 Bs, 2 Cs, and a D+ would earn 24.25 quality points. This score would be divided by the 8 courses the student took and therefore he/she would earn a 3.03125 GPA (24.25/8 = 3.03125). 

Weighting of College-Level Courses

Students electing to take Advanced Placement (AP), college Dual Enrollment (DE), or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses receive weighted credit for successfully completing these courses. Weighted grades will be designated by a (#) and do not apply to honors-level courses. 

Please note the following:

• In AP, DE, or IB courses, students earn an additional Quality Point in their GPA (i.e. a grade “A+” is awarded 5.5 grade quality points). 

• All other courses, including honors-level courses, are awarded 4.5 grade quality points for an “A+.” 

• Students who wish to concurrently enroll in a college or university and receive high school credit for the course will receive a weighted grade for only those courses which are equivalent to those weighted courses listed in this catalog. Prior approval by the principal is required for any concurrent enrollment in a college or university. Certain student eligibility requirements apply.

NOTE: Students transferring into Stafford Schools will receive weighted grades for only those AP, DE, IB, and Project Lead The Way (PLTW) courses previously taken for which an equivalent weighted course is offered in our schools. All students will have their grade point averages computed using the same weighted grade criteria. 

• The minimum eligibility requirement for the National Honor Society is 3.8

• The honor graduates GPA is 3.8, and the distinguished honors graduate GPA is 4.0

• The GPA eligibility for Summa Cum Laude division-level recognition is 4.25

Stafford County Public Schools recognizes that different school districts and different states utilize different grading scales and courses. As students transfer to Stafford County Public Schools, official transcripts are requested from the sending school. Grades are transcribed for incoming students based on the letter grade earned at the previous school. This letter grade for the transfer student is used to calculate the grade point average based on the Stafford County Public Schools’ quality point scale. Transfer students will receive weighted credit for only those Advanced Placement, Dual Enrollment or IB courses previously taken for which an equivalent weighted course is offered in our schools.

Any student choosing to replace a high-school credit-bearing course may do so by repeating the course. Students retaking a course with a passing grade may only do so with principal approval. The replacement grade received shall be used to calculate the GPA for the repeated course. Original and replacement course grades will be listed on the student’s transcript. The original grade will be recorded with a CR tag indicating “Course Repeat” and will not be factored into the calculation of the student’s GPA. 

NOTE: Students transferring into Stafford Schools will receive weighted grades for only those AP, DE, IB, and Project Lead The Way (PLTW) courses previously taken for which an equivalent weighted course is offered in our schools. All students will have their grade point averages computed using the same weighted grade criteria.