Calculation Methods Using Straight or Weighted Averages

GradeBook provides options for calculating students' grades using straight averages or weighted averages.

•Straight averages are calculated using points or percentages for assignments in the current grading period by adding the total earned and dividing by the total possible.

For example, if the student receives assignment marks of 95%, 93%, 98%, 88%, 83%, and 74%, the average is calculated as follows:

(95+93+98+88+83+74) / 600 = 88.5%

•If letter grades are used for assignments, the straight average is calculated based on the point value associated with each letter grade. For example, if A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, and F = 0, these point values are used to calculate the average by adding the earned point values together and dividing by the number of marks given.

Building on this example, if the student earns three A’s, two B’s, and one C on assignments, the average is calculated as follows:

(4+4+4+3+3+2) / 6 = 3.33

•Weighted averages by assignment type are calculated by creating a straight average, as explained previously, for each assignment type used in the class, and then an overall average is calculated by averaging those together based on the weight of each assignment type. For example, if the teacher uses Test, Quiz, and Homework types that are weighted 50%, 30%, and 20% respectively, the system calculates an average for each of the three types using either the points/percentage straight average or the letter grade average, and then an overall average using the weights for each type.

Building on this example, if the student’s averages for each type are 75% for Test, 85% for Quiz, and 95% for Homework, the overall average is calculated as follows:

[(75*50) + (85*30) + (95*20)] / (50+30+20) = 82.00%

Alternatively, if the teacher does not give any Quiz assignments during the grading period, and the student earned 75% for Test and 95% for Homework, the overall average is calculated as follows:

[(75*50) + (95*20)] / (50+20) = 80.71%

GradeBook then translates these averages into the appropriate letter grade for the report card based on the grading scale used in the class. Grading scales are defined by the GradeBook system manager and selected by the teacher during the initial GradeBook set up. The grading scale should include both a percentage range for each letter grade as well as a point range in the event that teachers are using letter grades for their assignments.