Grade Replacement

Grade replacement refers to the process of repeating a course for credit.  This means that the student takes the course for a second time.  Grade replacement may be a way that students try to raise their GPA if they have experienced one/some low grades in high school. 

BRIEF SUMMARY

Grade replacement refers to the process of repeating a course for credit.  This means that the student takes the course for a second time.  Grade replacement may be a way that students try to raise their GPA if they have experienced one/some low grades in high school.  It is up to the local school corporation if they allow grade replacement and if so, how the course is reflected on the student transcript and how GPA is subsequently calculated.

KEY POINTS

  • Whether or not grade replacement is allowed and how it is listed on a student’s transcript is a local decision/is up to the school corporation.
  • Before retaking a class, students should know how this will affect their transcript and GPA.
  • The IDOE provides some guidance on grade replacement.  (See “Shared Wisdom” and “Resource” sections below.)
  • Students usually retake classes during summer school or in the following school year.
  • On-line courses may be available for grade replacement.

RESOURCES

SHARED WISDOM

  • Q: What is your district policy on retaking courses either due to a failure or to replace a D grade in order to either get an honors diploma or try to get the GPA up (in order to get the 21st Century Scholarship)? Do you delete the low grade altogether? Keep the low grade but don’t calculate it into the GPA? Or keep the grade and the GPA calculation while adding the new grade/GPA calculation?
    • A: We let students replace any grade at any time. The lower grade gets changed to NC for “no credit” and comes off the transcript, and the higher grade stays and is factored in.
    • A: The old grade stays on the transcript but it is not factored into the GPA.
    • A: Keep the old grade on the transcript but it gets removed from GPA Calc, class rank etc
    • A: We allow a student to retake a class once and it has to be the same class (ex. Honors Biology would have to retaking Honors Biology, not regular Biology).  We keep the old grade on the transcript but we audit it and take the credit away and exclude it from the GPA.  We then count the new grade toward the credits and GPA.
    • A: Here is a link to our policy at Edgewood HS: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxiLSz8Vc0rgWnRSUHFJVC13VDA/view
    • A: I leave both grades on the transcript.  We drop the lower grade for GPA; however, they highest GPA calculation they can receive for the retake is a 2.0/4.0.  Therefore, any grade over a C is placed on the transcripts as the actual grade, but figured into the GPA as a C.
    • A: We keep the old grade physically on the transcript, add an (R) next to the original grade, take away the credit.  It comes out of the GPA calculation.  The new grade shows the credit earned and factors into the GPA.
    • A: We are pretty lenient. Students can retake any class that earned a B- or lower. The new grade replaces the old grade and the new grade factors into the GPA. For the most part students only retake failures or to earn AHD. For how lenient our policy is, we very rarely have retakes for class rank reasons or just to boost the GPA, especially once we show them how little their GPA or rank will change when they already had a C or even a B-.
    • A: Our corporation allows the re-take, but we keep the original grade on the transcript and in the GPA calculation in an effort for the transcript to be a true reflection of a student’s academic history.
    • A: We allow only 2 grade audits for grades below a C.The original grade stays on the transcript and is figured in the GPA. Plus, a student is not allowed to be top 20, if they have a grade audit.  We leave the old grade on the transcript, but assign it 0 credit.  That was it isn’t counting in the GPA.  I think our original theory was that leaving the old grade on the transcript left some consequence for not taking the class seriously.  I would love to see what results you get back.
    • A: At Marion High School students can retake any Core 40 classes that we have online courses for and it is a retake and replaces the GPA value of the grade, because it is considered the same as taking the normal class. The low grade loses its value and is replaced by the higher grade but not deleted from the transcript.   If it is a DC, or AP we have no online class for these therefore cannot replace it but it could meet the graduation requirements in taking the online class.The low grade keeps value and the new online class meets the graduation requirement for the AHD or THD. Unless they sit and retake the class in a live taught class again to replace the class.  So the DC and AP classes stay on the GPA unless retaken in live class.
      • Retake the same exact course in a PHS classroom setting during the following school year
      • Both grades will remain on the transcript but credit and GPA calculation will be awarded to the most recent grade
      • If the course is not retaken the following year, both grades will remain on the transcript and will be factored into the GPA
      • Students retaking to meet pre-requisite grade standards for an upper level course will be evaluated on an individual basis.  Both grades will remain on the transcript and be factored into the GPA (???)A: Retaking Courses: Students pursuing and Academic or Technical Honors diploma will be given the opportunity to retake (audit) a course if they receive a semester grade lower than a C.  The student must:
    • A: We allow students to retake classes and then remove the lower from the historical grades/ gpa.  if they are willing to put in the time and likely take classes with underclassmen- then more power to them! We keep the course and the old grade on the transcript, but zero out the attempt (and the credit in the case of a D) so it will not calculate in the GPA.
    • A: My prior employment includes 25 years working for Indiana University on several campuses primarily in the areas of Admissions, Financial Aid & Scholarships and Academic Advising. Based on my higher education experience, I am a proponent that the original attempt with the grade should be reflected on the transcript. IU limits the number of courses that may be retaken.
  • Q: How should it be recorded if a student fails a course but then retakes it and passes? A: This is a local school corporation or school governing body decision.(See Requirements and Guidance for Indiana High School Transcripts, below)
  • Q: How would the GPA be figured if a student fails a course but then retakes it and passes? A: This is a local decision. If the grade is noted on the transcript, it should be factored into the GPA. (See Requirements and Guidance for Indiana High School Transcripts, below)
  • From Counselor Talk, November 2017:

    Course Retake/Course Replacement

    A grade retake/replacement occurs when a student retakes a class that he/she has already taken to hopefully receive a better grade.

    1. The student received a grade of F in the class.

    2. The student received a grade of C- or below and wishes to meet the grade requirements for an Academic Honors Diploma.

    3. The student has not passed at least one of the end of course exams required for graduation and seeks to become eligible for waiver consideration.

    A class may be retaken only if one or more of the following conditions exist:

    A student seeking to retake a class will make an application with the guidance department. The student shall state the reason for the requested retake on the application. The guidance department will review the application. The principal shall have the authority to grant final approval for a student to retake a class.

    The following conditions apply to retaking a class:

    1. No online classes will be accepted in replacement of high school courses used for an Academic Honors Diploma without administrative approval.

    2. The grade earned (either higher or lower) when the class is retaken will be placed on the transcript and replace the original grade in the calculation of the GPA.

    3. The grade that is earned in the retake class will be used in the calculation of the GPA, but the new GPA shall render the student ineligible for such awards as valedictorian, salutatorian, or top ten award.

    The original grade will remain on the transcript with the credit for that class being transferred to the second class. A student may take advantage of this option up to two times in his/her high school career.

CONTENT FEEDBACK

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