Grades, GPA, and Academic Distinction Awards
Final Grade Calculation
Semester final grades are determined from the arithmetical average of the two quarterly percentage marks. Semester courses consist of one final semester grade while yearlong courses consist of two semester final grades. The final mark grading scale is defined as follows:
A = 90 - 100% B = 80 - 89.99% C = 70 - 79.99% D = 60 - 60.99% F = 0 - 59.99%
Class Rank Calculation
Class rank is determined using a 4.0 scale and the weighted GPA. Class rankings are calculated at the end of each semester.
GPA for Honor Roll and Principal’s List
(GPA for these considerations are only calculated quarterly)
A student must be carrying the equivalent of 5 credits per semester at FHS or via College Credit Plus classes.
All subjects are to be counted. This includes band, choir, physical education, and health.
Honor Roll: A full 3.0 grade point average is necessary for eligibility.
Principal’s List: A full 3.6 grade point average is necessary for eligibility.
Valedictorian(s) and Salutatorian(s) Determination
Click here for the Ohio Department of Education’s Honors Diploma information
High school students can gain state recognition for exceeding Ohio’s graduation requirements through an honors diploma. Students challenge themselves by taking and succeeding at high-level coursework and in real-world experiences. Students achieving this award of merit will be recognized at the graduation ceremony as receiving a “diploma with honors,” however the specific type of honors diploma will not be announced.
The Ohio Department of Education, in consultation with a group of stakeholders and the State Board of Education, has updated the requirements for honors diplomas beginning with the Class of 2026 Click the links below for each of the new Diploma with Honors requirements.
International Baccalaureate Honors Diploma (NOTE: Fairborn is not an IB school.)
Social Science and Civic Engagement Honors Diploma
Students who entered high school on or after July 1, 2022, will be required to meet the new honors diploma requirements. Students in the Class of 2024 and 2025 may use these new options, but also may use the previous requirements to earn an honors diploma. (Click here for the previous Diploma with Honors requirements.)
The GPA requirement is calculated on an unweighted 4.0 scale.
Valedictorian(s) and Salutatorian(s) Determination
The valedictorian(s) and salutatorian(s) will be determined at the conclusion of the 7th semester from the roster of students who have spent at least four years in high school. The student(s) with the highest 7th-semester weighted GPA (rounded to three decimal places) will be named the valedictorian(s) and the second highest will be named the salutatorian(s). In calculating the 7th-semester weighted GPA, a weight of .025 credit will be added for each semester-long honors course (including AP and CCP classes), and a weight of .05 will be added for any year-long honors course (including AP and CCP classes) completed during the 7 semesters, as well as courses in progress for the 8th semester. Courses that earn credit in increments besides ½ or 1 credit will be weighted proportionally.
Grade Point Average (GPA) Calculation
All letter grades have values: A=4; B=3; C=2; D=1; F=0. “Pass/fail” classes are not included. Quality points are calculated by multiplying the grade value by the credit attempted. The unweighted GPA is calculated by dividing the total number of quality points by the total number of credits attempted (not earned). GPAs are rounded to three decimal places. The weighted GPA includes all honors points; .025 per successfully completed ½ credit honors course added to the unweighted GPA and weight of .05 will be added for any one credit honors course. For students who transfer to Fairborn High School from another high school, points for an honors course will be awarded only if that same course is offered with honors designation at Fairborn High School. GPA is calculated at the end of each semester.
NCAA Eligibility
www.eligibilitycenter.org - All students who plan to participate in Division I or Division II college athletics must register with the NCAA Clearinghouse. Students must meet all eligibility requirements and complete the online registration as early as possible.
Click Here for the NCAA Eligibility Process/Timeline
Checklist for student-athletes:
Download and become familiar with the current Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete. - Download Guide
Make sure you are on track for the Core 40 Diploma and compare your credits with those required for the NCAA. The requirements are similar but not exactly the same.
Register online with the NCAA at the end of junior year or beginning of senior year.
Complete the amateurism questionnaire completely and truthfully
Ask your guidance counselor to send your transcript to the NCAA at the end of junior year. The NCAA will look at 6 semesters of work for initial eligibility.
Take the SAT and/or ACT during spring of junior year and use the code "9999" to have your official scores sent directly to the Eligibility Center. Scores sent by the high school will not be accepted.
Check with your guidance counselor to make sure you are on track to graduate on time and have the required amount of core courses.
Request final amateurism certification during your senior year after April 1
Ask your guidance counselor to submit your final high school transcript with proof of graduation after your complete senior year
Pathway to Earn an Associate’s Degree with Your High School Diploma
Fairborn High School students have the opportunity to earn an Associates of Arts - Liberal Arts degree from Sinclair Community College at the same time that they are earning their high school diploma without having to take classes off the FHS campus! Students have the flexibility to use a combination of AP and CCP classes to meet the pathway requirements. Contact your counselor for additional information about the Pathway to an Associate’s Degree.
Criteria for Athletic and Extracurricular Eligibility
(GPA for this consideration is calculated quarterly)
Student must be carrying the equivalent of 5 credits per semester at FHS or via College Credit Plus classes.
Student must have a 2.0 GPA and be passing 5 or more credits to be considered eligible. PE courses worth ¼ credit will not be considered in the 5-course requirement but will be considered in the 2.0 GPA calculation.
3. Student is currently enrolled in school.
4. All student-athletes, including first-time incoming freshmen, must maintain a GPA of 2.0 during the preceding grading period.
5. All Fairborn secondary students including those with an IEP are subject to this policy.
6. Every student-athlete can receive one eligibility exemption in middle school as well as one in high school. If a student has a GPA lower than 2.0, but it falls with the range of 1.5 to 1.9 (unweighted), then the student qualifies for the exemption. The exemption is valid only during the grading quarter in which it is applied. Once a student uses this exemption, should he/she fall below a 2.0 in future grading periods, he/she will be ineligible during that current quarterly grading period.
7. Eligibility is for a quarter-term grading period.
8. Pass/fail classes count toward the 5 credit requirement but are not calculated into the GPA for the purposes of athletic eligibility.
9. Students in off-campus or online CCP courses are responsible for accurate submission of quarterly grades to the FHS Guidance Office by the established deadline(s).
Specific Activities that are governed by this eligibility policy:
all high school/middle school athletics
all high school/middle school bands, choirs and orchestras for participation in all contests and programs
high school-chamber chorale, show choir, pep band, stage band, flag corps, marching corps, marching band, chess club, League Activities, mock trial, science competition club, speech/debate, drama club, and student congress/service club
middle school drama club and student council
[Adoption date: November 2016] LEGAL REFS: ORC 2305.23; 2305.231, 3313.66; 3313.661, 3315.0