The issuance of grades on a regular basis serves to promote a process of continuous evaluation of students performance in the School of the Osage School District. Grades shall be carefully assigned so as to serve the following important purpose.

► Provide students with a periodic estimate of progress and achievement.

► Afford a means of transmitting to parents/guardians information concerning the quality of achievement and progress of children.

► Constitute a medium and a motive for bringing the home and school together to work more effectively on the task of promoting learning.

► Serve as an incentive to greater and continuous effort in learning on the part of the student.

► Furnish a system of records for administrative purposes of the school including classification, promotion, transfer, entrance to higher educational institutions and occupational information.

► Supply data upon which experimental studies and interpretations of the relative efficiency of different instructional methods, school organization and instructional materials may be evaluated.

The teachers of the School of the Osage School District shall use a five-letter (exclusive of I) scale in assigning grades. As a part of the official grading system, there will be provisions for a graduation of scores within each letter grade to accommodate the use of plus and minus signs to differentiate between the extremes in each letter grouping. In addition, special symbols and terms appropriate to non-graded programs may be used to indicate student progress. Exceptional students shall be graded according to their Individualized Educational Program (IEP).

Grading shall not be influenced by pressure from parents/guardians. In addition, grades are not to be used as a disciplinary measure. Teachers shall maintain records providing a clear understanding of how grades were derived.