Understanding Ignore for GPA Calculation in openSIS Grade Scales
Overview
The Ignore for GPA Calculation option allows administrators to exclude specific grades from GPA calculations while still displaying those grades on report cards, transcripts, and academic records.
This setting is useful when a grade represents participation, attendance, completion, or another academic status that should not affect a student's Grade Point Average (GPA).
By using this option, institutions can accurately reflect student performance while ensuring GPA calculations follow established academic policies.
Why This Setting Exists
Not every grade awarded to a student should impact GPA.
Many institutions use grades that indicate:
- Course completion
- Participation
- Attendance
- Audit status
- Withdrawal status
- Incomplete coursework
Although these grades may appear on transcripts and report cards, they often do not represent academic achievement and therefore should not contribute to GPA calculations.
The Ignore for GPA Calculation setting ensures these grades are excluded automatically.
How GPA Exclusion Works
When a grade is marked as Ignore for GPA Calculation:
Included
- Report Cards
- Student Transcripts
- Academic Records
- Teacher Gradebooks
- Student Profiles
Excluded
- Marking Period GPA
- Semester GPA
- Yearly GPA
- Cumulative GPA
- Honor Roll Calculations (depending on school policy)
- Class Rank Calculations (depending on school policy)
The grade remains visible but does not influence GPA results.
Common Grades That Are Often Excluded
Many institutions exclude grades such as:
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| P | Pass |
| F (Pass/Fail Model) | Fail |
| AU | Audit |
| I | Incomplete |
| W | Withdrawn |
| NG | No Grade |
| CR | Credit Earned |
| NC | No Credit |
Actual grading policies vary by institution.
Always follow your school's academic regulations when deciding which grades should be excluded.
Example Scenario
A student completes a non-credit seminar and receives a grade of:
Pass (P)
The institution wants the course recorded on the student's transcript but does not want it to affect GPA.
In this case:
- The Pass grade appears on the report card.
- The Pass grade appears on the transcript.
- The Pass grade appears in academic history.
- The Pass grade is ignored during GPA calculations.
This allows the institution to document course completion without impacting academic averages.
How to Configure GPA Exclusion
Step 1: Navigate to Report Card Grade Scale
Go to:
Settings → Grades → Report Card Grade Scale
Step 2: Open the Appropriate Grade Scale
Select the grade scale containing the grade you want to modify.
Step 3: Edit the Grade
Locate the grade and click Edit.
Step 4: Enable Ignore for GPA Calculation
Select the Ignore for GPA Calculation option.
This tells openSIS to exclude the grade from GPA calculations.
Step 5: Save
Click Save.
Future GPA calculations will exclude this grade.
When Should You Use This Option?
Use this setting when a grade:
- Does not represent academic achievement.
- Should not increase GPA.
- Should not decrease GPA.
- Is used for attendance or participation tracking.
- Represents administrative academic statuses.
- Is associated with non-credit coursework.
When Should You Avoid Using This Option?
Do not enable this option for grades that:
- Contribute to academic performance.
- Affect graduation requirements.
- Are included in GPA policies.
- Should influence honor roll eligibility.
- Represent graded coursework.
Incorrectly excluding grades may produce inaccurate GPA calculations and transcripts.
Best Practices
- Review institutional grading policies before enabling GPA exclusion.
- Consult academic leadership when creating new grade scales.
- Use GPA exclusions consistently across academic years.
- Test GPA calculations before publishing report cards.
- Document which grades are excluded from GPA calculations.
A well-defined GPA policy helps maintain consistency across report cards, transcripts, and academic reports.
Common Questions
Will excluded grades still appear on report cards?
Yes. The grade remains visible on report cards and student records.
Will excluded grades appear on transcripts?
Yes. Excluding a grade from GPA calculations does not remove it from transcripts.
Can excluded grades be used for attendance or participation tracking?
Yes. Many schools use GPA-excluded grades for participation-based courses or administrative grading statuses.
Can I change this setting later?
Yes. However, changes may affect future GPA calculations and academic reports.
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