A. One-half (0.5) credit will be granted upon successful completion of a semester-long course.
B. Transfer credits will be accepted from any accredited ninth-grade or senior high school upon receipt of an official transcript. All transfer transcripts will be evaluated, and students will be notified of any course requirements, placement decisions, or credit deficiencies that may impact graduation.
C. Students may earn up to one (1.0) credit for work as an Office Aide during their junior or senior year. No more than 0.5 credit may be earned in any one semester. Office Aide courses are graded on a pass/fail basis.
D. Students may only take one physical education class per semester unless they are enrolled in a zero hour physical education class.
E. WAC 180-57-050 DEFINITION - MARKING SYSTEM
The standardized high school transcript is based on a marking/grading system that reports the marks/grades earned by students in courses as follows:
A = 4.0 C+ = 2.3
A- = 3.7 C = 2.0
B+ = 3.3 C- = 1.7
B = 3.0 D+ = 1.3
B- = 2.7 D = 1.0
The minimum passing grade is a D (1.0). Pass/fail, credit/no credit, and satisfactory/unsatisfactory grading options may also be used. In accordance with WAC 180-57-055, these non-numerical grades will be clearly identified on the transcript and excluded from grade point average (GPA) calculations.
For academic eligibility purposes, Running Start courses are weighted as equivalent to two high school courses. As a result, one failing grade in a Running Start course is calculated as two failing grades when determining eligibility.
F. WVHS A- Policy
West Valley High School historically used an 11-point grading scale that included an A–, calculated as a 3.7 GPA. Under this system, a typical grading scale awarded an A for scores of 94%–100% and an A– for scores of 90%–93%.
It has come to the district’s attention that many surrounding high schools use a 10-point grading scale that does not include an A–, awarding an A for scores of 90%–100%. As a result, a WVHS student earning a 91% in every class would receive all A– grades and graduate with a 3.7 GPA, while a student at a neighboring school earning the same 91% in every class would receive all A grades and graduate with a 4.0 GPA.
When students with identical academic performance apply for college admission or scholarships, this discrepancy places West Valley students at a competitive disadvantage. To ensure fairness and equity, WVHS now uses a 10-point grading scale and no longer includes an A– in its grading system.
Exception: If a student earns an A– from another school or program (including Running Start, NewTech Prep, or out-of-district schools), WVHS will honor the grade as awarded and post it to the student’s transcript accordingly.
It is extremely important to WVHS faculty and the school board that students compete on a level playing field as they pursue postsecondary education and career opportunities. At the same time, WVHS remains committed to recognizing students who consistently strive for excellence by ensuring appropriate recognition for academic honors, including Valedictorian, Salutatorian, and Honor Cord distinctions.
G. Withdrawal Information
The last day for a student to withdraw from a class without academic penalty is five (5) school days following the beginning of each semester. Students who are not officially withdrawn from a class by this deadline will receive a failing grade. After the five-day deadline, a withdrawal may only occur through approval of a hardship withdrawal. Upon request from a teacher and/or student, the principal may approve a hardship withdrawal when extenuating circumstances are present.
E. Approved High School Credits during 7th and/or 8th Grade
Students may receive high school credit for Algebra and/or Geometry and/or Spanish courses successfully completed during middle school. These credits will be posted to the student’s high school transcript prior to their 9th grade year.
A student and the student’s parent or guardian must inform the school before the end of the 11th grade by completing the opt-out form if they do not want credit for the course(s) taken prior to attending high school, or if they wish to request that the credit be transcribed with a non-numerical grade.