District 230 seeks to establish an atmosphere in each classroom which actively fosters academic integrity. Teachers recognize that academic integrity is important to the learning environment. Students should also recognize that academic integrity is an integral part of the learning process. Definitions of academic dishonesty are included but not limited to: cheating, intentionally plagiarizing, wrongfully giving or receiving help during an academic examination, wrongfully obtaining test copies or scores, representing someone else’s academic work as one’s own, altering grades/assignments, or student use of any unauthorized material in an attempt to present it as their own. This offense also includes anyone who assists another in cheating. Students will be afforded their Due Process Rights to determine violation of academic integrity. A charge of academic dishonesty will result in parent notification, counselor notification, a “zero” for the assignment, a possible referral to the Deans’ office, and exclusion from school-related honor societies and scholarships including but not limited to National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, and Department Academic Achievement Awards or any other applicable school clubs or organizations.
On rare occasions, a student is granted permission to audit a course and receive an audit indicator of “AU”. District 230 employs a stringent process for recommendation and approval of audit status. Once the audit is approved by the administrator in charge of scheduling, the department/division chairperson, and the teacher of the course, it cannot be changed. The student will not receive a traditional grade (A, B, C, D, F) or credit. The audit indicator will not apply toward graduation requirements, weighted/unweighted grade point average (GPA), or class rank.
A current student requesting to audit a course (other than late admittance or transfer):
I. The following awards and honors will be recognized on an annual basis using the established criteria and timelines.
Distinguished Achievement
Top 1 Percentile (*)
Top 5 Percentile (*)
Top 10 Percentile (*)
Department Academic Achievement Award (**)
State Assessment Scholars (***)
D230 Foundation Scholarship
National Merit Scholars and/or Finalists
Outstanding Senior Honors (Top 10) (****)
(*)Distinguished Achievement
(**)Department Academic Achievement Awards
(***)State Assessment Scholars
(****)Outstanding Senior Honor
II. Community and Booster group senior scholarships and awards will be presented at a spring evening activity to provide time for community representatives, students, and families to appropriately recognize student accomplishments.
III. Underclass recognition will be scheduled on an annual basis in early fall. Recognition will be based on 1, 2, or 3 complete years of attendance; students will be recognized for their freshman year accomplishments in the fall of their sophomore year; sophomore accomplishments in the fall of their junior year; junior accomplishments in the fall of their senior year.
Accomplishments to be recognized at each school include:
Schools may add additional recognition for the fall activities to recognize building-specific activities. (9/2007)
District 230 determines GPA based on a 4.3 scale for Academic courses, and a 5.3 scale for grades of “C-” or higher for Honors and Advanced Placement courses.
A student’s achievement will be evaluated and awarded a letter grade based on the learning objectives of the course in which he/she is enrolled. A student’s Grade Point Average (GPA) is based on semester grades. A student’s cumulative GPA will be reported on all report cards for each semester that a student is enrolled in a CHSD 230 school. Each student’s class standing will be based on the cumulative GPA and will be reported by 5-point percentile bands. Percentile ranking will be calculated beginning with the second semester report card. Parents or students may request a numeric class rank from their building registrar. Semester grades, GPA, and percentile rank will be reported on official transcripts beginning with the second semester of freshman year.
Students should alert their counselors and teachers as soon as possible to allow time to plan for the early administration of exams. Students with final projects due should consult individual teachers for due dates. Students who fail to appear for the semester exams, except in cases of illness or emergency, will be required to pay the same fee for each late exam.
DATED: January 1, 2001 REVISED: May 2004; November 2005; September 2007; November 2007; May 2012
Evaluating and Reporting Student Achievement
The Teacher:
Every teacher shall maintain an evaluation record based on the approved grading scale for each student in the teacher’s assigned course.
Teachers and parents are encouraged to confer at any time regarding the student’s progress. Contact times can be arranged by contacting the teacher(s) during school hours.
Parents/guardians can assist students in school in the following ways:
A Pass/Grade option is available to 11th and 12th-grade students (*) in District 230 for a maximum of one course not required for graduation per semester and one during summer sessions beginning the summer prior to 11th grade. (*Driver’s Education may be taken Pass/Grade by students not yet at 11th-grade status.)
The following guidelines will apply for all students:
A student may repeat a course previously taken as an audit or for credit. If the credit option is used:
Parents and students should log on via the school website to check student status in courses on a regular basis. Staff will post grades in the online gradebook at least once every 10 school days OR will post a message stating when the next update will be available.
Semester grades, attendance, and credits are included on all transcripts. GPA will be reported on official transcripts for all students. Percentile rank will be reported on official transcripts beginning the second semester of freshmen year.
District 230 assigns weighting for the purpose of calculating GPA for Honors level and Advanced Placement courses. Only approved courses denoted as “Honors” or “Advanced Placement” in their titles will receive the additional weighting. Courses taken at a Community College that is an extension of CHSD 230 Honors sequence will receive additional weight for grades of C- or higher.
The point system applied to grades in the calculation is as follows:
GRADE HONORS/AP ACADEMIC
A+ 5.3 4.3
A 5.0 4.0
A- 4.7 3.7
B+ 4.3 3.3
B 4.0 3.0
B- 3.7 2.7
C+ 3.3 2.3
C 3.0 2.0
C- 2.7 1.7
D+ 1.3 1.3
D 1.0 1.0
D- 0.7 0.7
F 0 0
A Superior achievement
B Above average achievement
C Average achievement
D Below average achievement
F Failing grade for which no credit is given.
P Passing – Does not count toward GPA calculation
AU Audit – No credit given