Section 6 — Academic Policies and Graduation Requirements

Grading System

Kindergarten:

Code	Meaning
0 / ND	Not yet Demonstrated
1 / BG	Beginning
2 / EM	Emerging
3 / DV	Developing
4 / DM	Demonstrating
5 / EX	Exceeding

 

Grades 1–12:

Range	Grade
90–100	A
80–89	B
70–79	C
69 and below	F
—	S (Satisfactory)
—	N (Needs Improvement)
—	U (Unsatisfactory)

 

Grade Distribution by Grade Band

Grade Band
Kindergarten	Standards-based
Grades 1–2	40% Classwork/Homework, 50% Chapter Tests/Quizzes, 10% Unit Tests/Performance Tasks
Grades 3–5	50% Classwork/Homework, 40% Chapter Tests/Quizzes, 10% Unit Tests/Performance Tasks
Grades 6–8	50% Classwork/Homework, 20% Quizzes, 30% Unit Tests/Projects
Grades 9–12	25% Classwork/Homework, 25% Quizzes/Lab Work, 30% Tests, 20% Midterm/Projects/Final Exam

Honor Roll

Recognition	Requirement
Star Honor Roll (nine-weeks)	An A in every subject for the grading period
Honor Roll (nine-weeks)	90+ average AND no grade below 80 in any subject (not rounded)
Yearly Star Honor Roll	All A's on the report card for every grading period all year (MS/HS use periods 1–3)
Yearly Honor Roll	Yearly average of 90+ AND no grade below 80 in any subject, any grading period (not rounded)

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Academic Promotion, Placement, and Retention Policy (Grades K–8)

Plain-English Summary: Promotion to the next grade is based on a student's overall academic achievement — not a single test. Students in grades 3, 5, and 8 must meet grade-level reading and/or math benchmarks on the Georgia Milestones Assessment to be promoted; if they don't pass on the first try, they get extra instruction and a second chance to test. If a student still doesn't meet the standard, a placement committee — made up of the parent, teacher, and principal — reviews the full picture and makes a final, unanimous decision. Parents always have the right to appeal a retention decision.

Key Terms:

Term	Meaning
Accelerated Instruction	Intensive, targeted instruction to bring a student up to grade level quickly
Additional Instruction	Extra instructional time (school day, before/after school, Saturday, or summer) for students not on grade level
Differentiated Instruction	Instructional strategies tailored to individual student needs
Placement Committee	Principal/designee + parent/guardian + relevant teacher(s); makes promotion/retention decisions when a student doesn't meet standards
Promotion	Assignment to a higher grade level based on meeting current-grade criteria
Retention	Reassignment to the same grade level for the next school year

 

 

 

Standards for Promotion

Grade(s)	Standard
Kindergarten	Readiness for 1st grade assessed using GKIDS, EIP data, report card, teacher recommendation, and MAP data
Grades 1–3	70+ yearly average in reading and math; grade-level achievement on Georgia Milestones (where applicable)
Grades 4–5	70+ yearly average in reading, math, and (science or social studies); grade-level achievement in reading and math on Georgia Milestones
Grades 6–8	70+ average in 3 of 4 core subjects (Reading/Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies); grade-level achievement in reading and math on Georgia Milestones; 70+ average in connection courses (2 of 4 eighteen-week courses, or 4 of 8 nine-week courses)

Special Requirements for Grades 3, 5, and 8

• 3rd grade: Cannot be promoted to 4th grade without grade-level reading on the Georgia Milestones Assessment
• 5th grade: Cannot be promoted to 6th grade without grade-level reading and math on the Georgia Milestones Assessment
• 8th grade: Cannot be promoted to 9th grade without grade-level reading and math on the Georgia Milestones Assessment

A student may still be retained even after achieving grade-level performance on the Milestones, if they do not also achieve the required 70+ yearly average.

What Happens If a Student Doesn't Pass (First Test)

1. Within 10 calendar days of receiving scores, the principal notifies the parent/guardian by mail of the failing score, the retest date, available accelerated/additional instruction, and the possibility of retention
2. The student receives instruction in the relevant subject(s) before retesting
3. The student retests using the Georgia Milestones or an approved alternative assessment

What Happens If a Student Doesn't Pass (Second Test)

1. The principal retains the student for the next school year (unless otherwise addressed through the appeals process)
2. The parent/guardian and teacher(s) are notified by mail of the retention decision and their right to appeal

Appeals Process

If the parent/guardian or teacher appeals a retention decision:

• A Placement Committee is formed: principal/designee + parent/guardian + relevant subject teacher(s)
• The committee reviews the student's overall academic record — not just the Milestones score — including MAP data, grades, and other assessments
• The decision to promote must be unanimous. The committee must determine the student is likely to reach grade level by the end of the next year with accelerated or additional instruction
• A continuous progress-monitoring plan is created for the year ahead
• The committee's decision is final

For students receiving special education services, the IEP Committee serves as the Placement Committee.

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English Language Learners — Assessment Accountability

EL students enrolling in a U.S. school for the first time take all required state assessments, but their scores are excluded from statewide accountability calculations during their first year. These scores establish a growth baseline starting in year two. Both achievement and growth are included in accountability calculations beginning in the third year of enrollment.

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End-of-Course (EOC) Testing

End-of-Course tests are administered in the fall, spring, and summer to students enrolled in any of the following courses, regardless of grade level:

• Literature and Composition II
• Algebra: Concepts and Connections
• Biology
• United States History

High School Grade Classification (Promotion/Retention)

Students are classified by grade level based on units earned, not age or years enrolled:

Grade	Block Units Required to Enter	Courses That Must Be Passed
10th	6	3 units in academic classes
11th	13	6 units in academic classes
12th	20	10 units in academic classes

• Core courses must be passed in sequence — for example, 9th grade Literature must be passed before a student may take 10th grade Literature. This applies to all core content areas.
• Students who do not pass a required course may make up the work through Credit Recovery (see below), which may involve a cost.

Graduation Requirements

Students must meet all unit requirements below, complete the Accelerated Career Diploma requirements, or meet the "Diploma of Performance" requirements specified in their IEP, in order to participate in graduation ceremonies.

Transfer Students: Juniors and seniors transferring into ECS may meet state graduation requirements and be exempt from system requirements if meeting system requirements would delay their graduation.

Standard High School Diploma — Course Requirements

Subject Area	Units Required
English/Language Arts	4
Mathematics	4
Science	4
Social Studies	4
CTAE / Modern Language / Latin / Fine Arts	3
Health and Physical Education (.5 unit each)	1
Electives	8
TOTAL (Minimum)	28

Accelerated Career Diploma (formerly "Option B")

The Accelerated Career Diploma — established under O.C.G.A. § 20-2-149.2 (formerly Senate Bill 2) — is an alternate graduation path for students who have already chosen a career direction. Students complete 9 required high school courses plus a technical credential, and may graduate as soon as coursework is finished. Students who finish early may appeal to walk with their original graduating class.

Course Requirements:

Subject Area	Units Required	Notes
English/Language Arts	2	Literature & Composition II/EOC required
Mathematics	2	Algebra: Concepts & Connections required
Science	2	Biology required
Social Studies	2	U.S. History recommended
Health and Physical Education (.5 unit each)	1
TOTAL High School Units (Minimum)	9

Plus one of the following Technical College credentials:

• Any one Associate Degree
• Two sequenced Technical Certificates of Credit (TCCs), as required by the Technical College
• Any one Diploma Program

Core Credit Note: A core course that has already been passed may not be repeated for credit, except when an administrator determines it's necessary for success in a later course — in that case, only elective credit is awarded.

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Credit Recovery

Credit Recovery gives high school students who have failed a required course a chance to make up specific non-mastered standards without repeating the entire course, supporting on-time graduation. The program runs through Edgenuity or Georgia Credit Recovery — an online, module-based system managed by a facilitator rather than a classroom teacher. There is a cost associated with credit recovery courses.

Program Requirements:

Requirement	Detail
Eligibility	Grade of 60–69 in the course, or principal's written approval
Course load	Maximum 2 credits recovered per semester, unless the principal approves more
Intake	Student and parent/guardian must complete an interview with the counselor
Attendance	Early dismissal is not allowed; disruptive behavior or misuse of technology results in removal
EOC courses	Student must retake the EOC at the end of the recovered course
Transportation	Parent/guardian responsibility
Testing	All assessments must be taken in the presence of the facilitator

Awarding Credit: Credit is awarded only when all work is completed satisfactorily. Recovered credit appears on the transcript as a repeat attempt — it does not replace the original grade. Both grades are included in the student's cumulative GPA.

Important — NCAA Notice: This program is not approved by the NCAA for course credit toward college athletic eligibility. Students who earn credit through this program will not be eligible under NCAA guidelines.

Advanced Placement (AP) Program

AP courses allow students to study at a college level while still in high school, preparing them for College Board exams scored 1–5. Many colleges grant credit or advanced placement for qualifying scores; each college sets its own policy.

• Students enrolled in an AP course are strongly encouraged to take the corresponding exam
• Exam cost is the student's responsibility (approximately $95 per exam)
• Fee waivers are available through the College Board for qualifying families — contact your school counselor

Honor Graduate

To qualify as an Honor Graduate (regular education diploma path), a student must:

• Attain a non-rounded 90 or better average across all four years of high school
• Earn at least 28 Carnegie credits
• Have all transfer grades from a SACS-accredited school or equivalent

There is no residency requirement to qualify. Dual Enrollment grades are included in the average, and Honors/approved Dual Enrollment courses are weighted in the calculation.

Honor Graduate averages are computed at the conclusion of the third nine weeks of senior year.

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Class Ranking and Grade Weighting

Course Type	Weight
Honors	1.05
Dual Enrollment	1.10
Advanced Placement	1.10

• Weighting applies to the cumulative average calculation, not to individual transcript grades
• Courses with no special identifier (including "Advanced") receive no weighting
• Class rank is computed on a 100-point scale using the weighted cumulative GPA
• Beginning FY22, new Dual Enrollment students in 9th and 10th grade are weighted only for courses covered by the 30 HOPE-paid hours
• This weighting affects class rank, Honor Graduate eligibility, and Valedictorian/Salutatorian distinction only

Valedictorian and Salutatorian

The Valedictorian and Salutatorian are the students with the highest and second-highest weighted academic averages among college-prep diploma candidates.

Eligibility requirements:

• Must enroll at the high school within the first 10 days of senior year
• Must remain enrolled through the final semester of senior year
• Credit-in-lieu-of-coursework is not included in the academic average

Averages for Valedictorian/Salutatorian are computed at the conclusion of the third nine weeks of senior year.

Final grades for Dual Enrollment courses completed during the second semester of a student's senior year are not available from the postsecondary institution at the time class rankings and honors are calculated. Therefore, these grades shall not be included in the determination of Valedictorian, Salutatorian, or Highest Honors recognition.

Dual Enrollment — Grades, Weighting, and Academic Probation

Dual Enrollment allows eligible high school students to earn college credit while completing high school graduation requirements.

House Bill 444 (signed April 28, 2020) changed dual enrollment program funding. Visit the ECS Dual Enrollment webpage or contact your school counselor for current details.

Before Enrolling: Students and parents must sign both the Student Participation Agreement (SPA) and the ECS Dual Enrollment Contract, agreeing to all program guidelines and academic expectations set by the Georgia Student Finance Commission and ECS.

Grade Conversion (for institutions that issue letter grades only):

Letter Grade	Numeric Equivalent
A	95
B	85
C	75
D	70
F	62

• A grade of D (or numeric 60–69)  in a dual enrollment course earns high school credit for the course — except for students pursuing the Accelerated Career Diploma, who must earn a C or better in all dual enrollment courses
• Course weighting (1.10) applies to HOPE-eligible core courses (English, math, science, social studies, world languages) and CTAE courses aligned with GaDOE Career Clusters/Pathways

Academic Probation:

Situation	Consequence
Drops a course required for ECS graduation	One semester of dual enrollment academic probation the following term
Fails one post-secondary course	Academic probation warning
Fails a second (or subsequent) course	One semester of dual enrollment academic probation
On academic probation	Cannot take any dual enrollment courses that semester
Fails a post-secondary course needed for graduation	Must retake the equivalent course at the high school

Competitive Interscholastic Activities Eligibility (High School)

All students participating in GHSA-defined competitive interscholastic activities must be on track for graduation and meet eligibility requirements.

• Eligibility is based on subjects/units passed the previous term and being "on track," measured by accumulated units at the end of each school year
• Summer school counts as part of the second semester/term
• First-year (9th grade) students are automatically eligible academically; for the second semester, they must have passed at least 3 courses the previous semester
• Students have 8 consecutive semesters (4 consecutive years) of interscholastic eligibility, beginning with their first enrollment date taking 2+ high school subjects
• Students may not have reached their 19th birthday before May 1 preceding the year of participation