​​​​Section 5-02 – Grading Policies
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Grade Integrity and Grade Books

The teacher of each course determines the grade that each student receives, subject to the school's grading policy and expectations.  Except in cases of clerical or mechanical error, fraud, bad faith, or incompetence, the grade is final.  If an administrator suspects fraud or bad faith, he or she must consult with the Department of Catholic Schools before any action is taken.  If a grading error is discovered after grades are submitted, the grade may be corrected only with the written consent and collaboration of both the teacher and Principal.

A teacher's grade book (either a hard copy or electronic copy) is to be confidential and inaccessible to students.

At the end of each school year, or upon a teacher's termination or resignation before the end of the school year, the teacher's grade book (either a hard copy or electronic copy) along with its legend or explanation of the grading scale, becomes the property of Bishop Alemany High School and will be retained by the school for at least five years.

Topic 5-02-1 – Assessments
Assessment of student learning is a critical component of the educational program.  Assessment is ongoing and integrated into the teaching and learning process.  In Archdiocesan schools, assessment goals may be through standardized testing, together with curriculum-based assessment.

Roles of Principals and Teachers

• Teachers will utilize diagnostic, formative, summative, and self-assessment tools to monitor the academic progress of students.
• The Principal will review curriculum-based assessment data to monitor student progress.
• The Principal and teachers will use the curriculum-based assessment data and standardized test scores as criteria to select the most effective instructional strategies and resources, and to communicate to parents/guardians key information about student progress in meeting curriculum content standards and grade-level expectations.
  
  Role of Parents/Guardians

• Parents/guardians will be expected to communicate with teachers and the administration regarding the student's overall progress.
  
  Standardized Testing
• All schools are required to participate in an Archdiocesan-wide standardized testing program.
• School personnel must be appropriately trained to work effectively and responsibly with the Archdiocesan assessment instruments and data.
• Standardized test results are only one indicator of the student's overall academic achievement.  Teachers use standardized test results to identify students' relative academic strengths and weaknesses, design curriculum, and plan for instruction; and principals use the results to evaluate curriculum, to set instructional priorities, and plan appropriate professional development.
• Principals are expected to instruct parents/guardians on how to interpret their students' test scores and evaluate these in light of the overall school program.
• The Department of Catholic Schools will analyze test scores to identify achievement trends and will assist principals and testing coordinators to analyze and use test scores to improve learning.
  
  Curriculum-Based Assessment
  

• Assessment of student learning is an integral part of the instructional process.  The purpose of assessment is to guide instructional decisions in meeting goals and to report student progress toward meeting content standards.
• Assessment should be frequent, ongoing, varied, multifaceted, and integrated into the teaching/learning process.
• The usefulness of assessment is dictated by the quality of the assessment in measuring student progress; therefore, teachers must carefully design appropriate, high-quality measures of student progress.
  
  Semester Examination Policy
  
  Semester final examinations, or other appropriate summative assessments, are given in all courses in each semester.  No student is exempt from exams.  The only valid reason for missing an exam is illness.  To maintain the integrity of examinations, the school will not administer examinations before the scheduled dates unless specifically approved by the Assistant Principal of Curriculum.  The Assistant Principal of Curriculum will arrange make-up examinations necessitated by illness or for an exception granted by school administration.  Students who miss an examination due to illness may be required to produce a note from his/her doctor to be allowed to take the missed examination.
  
  The annual calendar posted on the school website before the start of the academic year designates the examination days for the year.  Parents/guardians who choose to take their student(s) on vacation or family trips or absent their student(s) from examinations for any reason other than illness or an exception granted by the school administration understand that this will likely lower student grades.
  
  Students must be eligible to take semester examinations.  Students are ineligible to take examinations if tuition is owed, fees have not been paid, or uniforms and/or equipment have not been returned.  Ineligible students will receive an “Incomplete" for courses in which the semester exam is missed due to ineligibility.  If the ineligibility is cleared within a reasonable time as determined by the Administration, make-up exams will be administered.  If the ineligibility is not cleared within a reasonable time, a “0" will be assigned to any missed exam(s) and resulting grade(s) determined.  Following is the (suggested) Semester Examinations Schedule:
  
   

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