A Report Card Grade Scale is a grading framework that defines how student performance is represented within openSIS. Grade scales allow schools and institutions to establish the grades, percentages, and grade point values used throughout the grading process.
When teachers enter grades and administrators generate report cards, transcripts, honor roll reports, or GPA calculations, openSIS uses the configured grade scale to interpret and display academic performance consistently.
For example, a school may define grades such as A+, A, B+, B, C, D, and F. Each grade can be associated with a minimum percentage score, a grade point value, and an optional honors or advanced placement (AP) grade point value.
By configuring grade scales, institutions can ensure that grading policies are applied consistently across courses, grade levels, and academic years.
Grade scales serve as the foundation of academic evaluation within openSIS. They determine how numerical scores are translated into letter grades and how those grades contribute to GPA calculations.
Without a properly configured grade scale, the system cannot accurately:
Because grading policies vary between institutions, openSIS allows schools to create multiple grade scales that align with their specific academic requirements.
Each grade within a grade scale contains several settings that help define its academic value.
The grade title represents the letter or designation assigned to a student's performance.
Examples include:
These titles appear throughout report cards, transcripts, and grading reports.
The Breakoff value represents the minimum percentage required to earn a specific grade.
For example:
| Grade | Breakoff |
|---|---|
| A+ | 95 |
| A | 90 |
| B | 85 |
| C | 75 |
In this example, a student must achieve at least 95% to receive an A+.
Breakoff values help openSIS automatically determine the appropriate grade based on a student's percentage score.
The Standard Grade Point (GP) Value represents the GPA value assigned to a grade under the institution's standard grading policy.
Examples:
| Grade | GP Value |
|---|---|
| A+ | 4.00 |
| A | 3.50 |
| B | 3.00 |
These values are used when calculating a student's cumulative GPA and academic standing.
Some institutions offer honors or advanced placement courses that use weighted GPA calculations.
The Honors/AP GP Value allows schools to assign additional GPA weight to advanced coursework.
Example:
| Grade | Standard GP | Honors/AP GP |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.00 | 5.00 |
| A | 3.50 | 4.50 |
This encourages students to take more challenging courses while ensuring GPA calculations reflect the increased academic rigor.
Certain grades may need to appear on report cards but should not affect GPA calculations.
For example:
The Ignore for GPA Calculation option allows administrators to exclude specific grades from GPA calculations while still retaining them in academic records.
openSIS supports multiple grade scales.
Schools may create separate grade scales for:
This flexibility allows institutions to align grading policies with their educational structure.
When creating grade scales: