How to Create a Grade Scale in openSIS

Grade scales define how student performance is evaluated and displayed throughout openSIS. Before administrators can add individual grades such as A, B, C, or Pass/Fail values, they must first create a grade scale.

A grade scale serves as a container that holds the grading structure used by report cards, GPA calculations, transcripts, honor roll calculations, and academic reports.

Schools may use a single grade scale for all students or create multiple grade scales for different programs, grade levels, or grading methodologies.

For example, an institution may have:

• Standard Grading Scale
• Honors Grading Scale
• Pass/Fail Scale
• Elementary Grading Scale
• Secondary Grading Scale

Creating a grade scale is the first step in establishing a grading framework within openSIS.

Before You Begin

Before creating a grade scale, determine:

• The grading system used by your institution
• Whether multiple grade scales are required
• GPA calculation requirements
• Weighted grading requirements for Honors or AP courses
• Institutional grading policies

Planning these details beforehand helps maintain consistency across academic records.

How to Create a Grade Scale

Step 1: Navigate to Report Card Grade Scale

Go to:

Settings → Grades → Report Card Grade Scale

The Report Card Grade Scale page displays all existing grade scales configured for the school.

Step 2: Click Add

Select the Add button located at the top of the page.

A new grade scale form will open.

Step 3: Enter the Grade Scale Title

In the Title field, enter a descriptive name for the grade scale.

Examples:

• Standard Grade Scale
• High School Grade Scale
• Honors Grade Scale
• Pass/Fail Scale
• Elementary Grade Scale

Choose a name that clearly identifies the purpose of the grading scale.

Step 4: Save the Grade Scale

Click Save.

Once saved, the grade scale is created and becomes available within openSIS.

At this stage, the grade scale exists but does not yet contain any grades.

The next step is to add grades and GPA values to complete the grading structure.

What Happens After Saving?

After a grade scale is created:

• It appears in the Report Card Grade Scale list.
• Administrators can add individual grades.
• GPA values can be configured.
• Honors and AP weighting can be defined.
• The grade scale becomes available for academic use.

The newly created grade scale acts as a framework that can later be expanded with grading rules and performance levels.

Creating Multiple Grade Scales

Many institutions use more than one grade scale.

Common examples include:

Standard Academic Scale

Used for regular academic courses.

Honors Scale

Used for advanced coursework that carries additional GPA weight.

Pass/Fail Scale

Used for non-credit or participation-based courses.

Program-Specific Scale

Used for specialized academic programs that follow unique grading policies.

Creating separate grade scales helps ensure grading policies are applied correctly throughout the institution.

Best Practices

When creating grade scales:

• Use clear and descriptive names.
• Follow institutional grading policies.
• Avoid creating duplicate grade scales.
• Review grading requirements before implementation.
• Maintain consistency across academic years whenever possible.
• Create separate scales only when grading rules differ significantly.

A well-organized grade scale structure makes grading administration easier and improves reporting accuracy.

Common Questions

Can I create multiple grade scales?

Yes. openSIS allows schools to create multiple grade scales to support different grading methodologies and academic programs.

Can I rename a grade scale later?

Yes. Existing grade scales can be edited if changes are required.

Does creating a grade scale automatically create grades?

No. Creating a grade scale only creates the grading framework. Individual grades such as A, B, C, and F must be added separately.

Can different courses use different grade scales?

This depends on your school's grading configuration and academic policies. Multiple grade scales can be created to support various grading needs.