Math Department Policies

1. HISD Electronic Device Policy

The law, House Bill 1481, requires all Texas school districts to restrict students from using personal electronic devices during the school day. This includes cell phones, tablets, smartwatches, headphones, and earbuds.

Below, Houston ISD has detailed it plans to handle violations:

• 1st offense: Device confiscated and returned to a parent after school

• 2nd offense: Device held until the next day

• 3rd offense: Device held for two school days

Please review the full policy here.

2. Grading Scale

Major grades (exams, projects) 40%

Quizzes: 30%

Homework/classwork: 30%

3. Tests/Quizzes

At DeBakey, students will take 2 tests and at least 3 quizzes each grading cycle. 

Retake Policy

Tests: Only Test #1 is eligible for a retake opportunity.

Quizzes: Quiz retakes are not allowed; however, if a fourth quiz is given during the cycle, the lowest quiz grade will be dropped. 

Midterms and Final Exams:

In accordance with HISD policy, midterm and final exams may not be retaken under any circumstances to improve a grade.

Eligibility for Test #1 Reassessment

A student may retake Test #1 only if their original score is below 70.

The reassessment must be completed within one week of the test being returned to the student.

To qualify for the retake, students must:

• Complete a Retake Request Form

• Submit a Test Corrections Form prior to retaking

Grading for Reassessments

• The reassessment grade will be the average of the original test score and the retake score.

• The maximum grade that can be recorded in the gradebook after a reassessment is 70.

Examples:

• If the original score is 60 and the retake score is 85, the average is 72.5 → the grade recorded will be 70.

• If the original score is 68 and the retake score is 60, the average is 64 → the grade recorded will be 64.

4. Academic Dishonesty Policy

Per HISD Code of Student Conduct, cheating, plagiarism, or copying the work of other students, which includes failure to comply with test security procedures and use of cell phones, smart watches, and electronic devices during testing, all violate the Academic Dishonesty Policy.

Cheating means gaining unfair advantage by using unauthorized materials/notes/information relating to all assignments (homework, classwork, quiz, project, test...). Cheating includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• copying in part or in whole, from someone's assignments;

• copying answers from the internet;

• allowing someone to copy your work or test answers.

• discussing answers or test/quiz related information after the test when the test questions have not been yet released without permission;

• obtaining the answer keys or test questions from someone beforehand;

• revealing the answer keys or test questions after taking the test to someone;

• using cheat notes, cheat sheets, or any kind of unauthorized devices considered inappropriate under the prescribed testing condition;

• collaborating with another or others in work to be presented without permission;

• changing your answers when correcting or grading your assignments in class;

• misrepresenting work done by others as your own work. It is considered as plagiarism.

• knowingly and intentionally assisting another student in any of the above.

Consequences for cheating depending on the severity of the infraction may result in, but are not limited to, the following:

• receiving a zero on the assignments;

• being referred to an administrator;

• having a teacher-parent conference;

• having an after school detention;

• having a notation made in school discipline record;

• receiving a "Poor" conduct in citizenship for that cycle/semester.

As you know, cheating will not be tolerated and severe consequences may be applied if you violate the academic integrity. So, please be aware of your action, make a wise choice. If you are unsure about what you are going to do, please ask your teacher for clarification. 

"If you can’t explain what you wrote down, then you are cheating."