It is the policy of the Seattle School Board that its high school students receive grades and credits in a manner that is understandable, accurate, and consistent across the District.

I. Grades

The District shall employ a uniform eleven-point weighted grading system at the high school level, awarding the following marks:

• A
• A-
• B+
• B
• B-
• C+
• C
• C-
• D+
• D
• E

A “D” mark is the lowest passing grade, and an “E” mark indicates a failing grade. The Superintendent or their designee shall establish and post a Seattle School District Uniform Grading Scale detailing the corresponding percentage grade range for each of the eleven grade marks.

Seattle Public Schools transcripts show official grade point averages (GPAs), as mandated by state law.

Honors courses receive an additional .5 Quality Point. Courses eligible to receive college credit from an accredited institution, such as Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, College in the High School, and Running Start courses receive an additional 1.0 Quality Point. Quality Points are used to calculate District weighted GPA, but per state law, may not be used to calculate official GPA. The marks of “P”, “N”, “W”, and “I” may be used only under specific circumstances in the manner set forth in the K-12 School Counseling Manual.

Students may retake courses in-district to attempt to earn a higher grade. If a student retakes a course to attempt to earn a higher grade, only the highest grade received will be counted toward the student’s grade point average. However, a record of all classes taken, including the grades received, will remain on the student’s transcript and the student will receive credit toward graduation for only one of the courses.

II. Credits

A. Awarding High School Academic Credit

Students will be awarded high school academic credit for successful completion of a specified unit of study. Successful completion of a specified unit of study means the following:

• Earning a passing grade in a District-approved course, according to the District’s relevant grading policies or K-12 School Counseling Manual provision; and/or
• Demonstrating competency and proficiency; and/or
• Successfully completing an established number of hours of any planned alternative instructional activities as determined by the District; and/or
• Successfully meeting the credit-earning requirements specified in Board Policy Nos. 2024, Out-of-District Credits and Credit Recovery; 2409, Competency/Proficiency Based Credit; and/or 2413, Equivalency Credit for Career and Technical Education Courses, together with their corresponding Superintendent Procedures, as applicable.

B. High School Courses Taken During Middle School

High school courses taken by middle school students at middle schools are credited as follows:

• Unless a student and the student’s family request otherwise, any high school course completed in a District middle school are counted as high school credit, added to the high school transcript (including the grade earned), and applied to fulfilling high school graduation requirements.
• The course in the middle school must meet or exceed the requirements for the same high school course and be on the Seattle Public Schools approved course list. For a middle school course to be counted as equivalent to a high school course, it must be taught by a teacher qualified to teach the course at the high school level.
• Middle schools that wish to offer alternative learning experiences, such as an online or computer-based program at the high school level, overseen by school staff, must contact the Department of Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction for approval.
• Courses taken prior to the 2019-20 school year are added to high school transcripts upon request.

High school classes taken by middle school students at high schools are credited as follows:

• Unless a student and the student’s family request otherwise, any high school level course completed at a District high school by a middle school student shall be counted as high school credit, added to the high school transcript (including the grade earned), and applied to fulfilling high school graduation requirements. The academic level of the course must exceed the requirements for middle school, and the course must be on the Seattle Public Schools approved course list.
• Courses taken prior to the 2019-20 school year are added to high school transcripts upon request.

Courses taken outside of Seattle Public Schools during the middle school grades are subject to the following conditions:

• Courses already on a student’s transcript when the student transfers to Seattle Public Schools, or for which the family provides a transcript and verification of existing policy allowing this credit from the student’s previous district, may be added to the Seattle Public Schools transcript for high school credit. Families must follow the process referenced in the K-12 School Counseling Manual.
• Courses taken outside of Seattle Public Schools by actively enrolled students are subject to Superintendent Procedure 2024SP, Out-of-District Credits and Credit Recovery.

C. Credit Recovery

Students who meet the graduation standard in a state graduation pathway, excluding the Career and Technical Education pathway and Armed Services Vocational Aptitude pathway, may recover credit for previously failed courses as described below:

• Math: Students may recover one-half (.5) credit for a previously failed Algebra 1 (or equivalent) or Geometry (or equivalent) course. Students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) may recover credit for alternative courses.
• Language Arts: Students may recover one-half (.5) Language Arts credit for a previously failed 9th or 10th grade required Language Arts course.

Science: Students may recover one-half (.5) science credit for a previously failed 9th or 10th grade science course by meeting proficiency on the state summative assessment or a state approved alternative.

In all of the situations outlined above, unique course codes will be created and will substitute for a course that was previously failed. Failed courses remain on the student’s transcript.

III. Grade and Credit Changes

A grade and/or credit change can only be made by the teacher of record for the specific course at issue or by the Principal of the school where the course was taken and the change is being requested due to either a math error or bias. If the student no longer attends the school where the course at issue was taken, any grade and/or credit change by either the teacher of record or the Principal must be reviewed and approved with signature by a Regional Executive Director of Schools.

IV. Promotion and Retention

High school grade level standing is determined by a combination of credit attainment and/or chronology and, in the case of Home-Based Instruction students, age. After each semester, standing will be updated according to the following criteria:

Grade Level Promotion Criteria

Being placed at a given grade level does not eliminate the need to complete all local and state graduation requirements if a student is attempting to earn a diploma through Seattle Public Schools.

V. High School Enrollment for Home-Based Instruction Students

Students for whom a “Declaration of Intent to Home School” form is on file with Seattle Public School shall be enrolled in high school according to the following schedule:

Grade Level Promotion Schedule

Students will be assigned the appropriate grade level during the enrollment process. Being placed at a given grade level does not eliminate the need to complete all graduation requirements if the student is attempting to earn a diploma through Seattle Public Schools.

VI. Running Start

A student must have attained at least Junior/11th grade status to enroll in Running Start, per the Running Start regulations. For the purposes of Running Start enrollment only, a student may be considered a Junior/11th grade either by reaching age 16 and placing into 100-level or credit-earning college classes through the college placement exam. The college placement exam is given at the community colleges, and students are responsible for paying the exam fee.

The Superintendent or their designee(s) shall maintain the K-12 Counseling Manual as an administrative procedure that further implements this policy.

Superintendent Procedure:

• 2024SP – Out-of-District Credits and Credit Recovery
• 3121SP – Attendance
• 3130SP – Superintendent Procedures for Student Assignment

Policy Cross References:

• 2024 – Out-of-District Credits and Credit Recovery
• 2140 – Advising and School Counseling
• 2170 – Career and Technical Education
• 2255 – Alternative Learning Experience Schools or Programs
• 2409 – Competency/Proficiency Based Credit
• 2413 – Equivalency Credit for Career and Technical Education Courses
• 2415 – High School Graduation Requirements
• 3114 – Part-time or Home-based Students
• 3121 – Attendance
• 3130 – Student Assignment and Enrollment
• 3132 – Non-Standard School Assignments
• 3520 – Student Fees, Fines, or Charges

Previous Policies:

• D15.00 – High School Grade and Credit Marking Policy

Legal References:

• RCW 28A.150.240(2)(g) Certificated teaching and administrative staff as accountable for classroom teaching — Scope — Responsibilities — Penalty.
• RCW 28A.600.030 Grading policies — Option to consider attendance.
• RCW 28A.635.060 Defacing or injuring school property — Liability of pupil, parent, or guardian Withholding grades, diploma, or transcripts — Suspension and restitution — Voluntary work program as alternative — Rights protected.
• Chapter 392-210 WAC Student testing and evaluation – Washington state honors award program
• WAC 392-415 Secondary education – Standardized high school transcript.

Management Resources:

• K-12 School Counseling Manual

Last Board Review:

Revisions:

• March 17, 2025 (Administrative Update per Policy No. 1310)
• May 11, 2022 (Administrative Update per Policy No. 1310)
• March 11, 2020
• July 24, 2019
• May 15, 2019
• November 15, 2017
• July 2, 2014
• November 7, 2012
• June 20, 2012
• February 15, 2012

Adopted by the Board:

• December 7, 2011