• Grading, UIL, and Progress Reports

    Determining credit for full-credit courses

    A student may receive full credit for a 1.0 credit course if the standards below are met: 

    • The student passes both semesters of the course with a 70 or above; or
    • The student fails the first semester of the course but has a sufficient score in the second semester resulting in a grade of 70 or higher when averaged with the first semester; or
    • The student passes the first semester and scores 65 or above in the second semester. IF the two semester grades averaged together result in a grade of 70 or higher, the student will receive full credit for the course. If the student scores below 65 in the second semester, the second semester must be repeated and passed regardless of the student's grade in the first semester.

    AND

    • For a full-credit course, the student must pass the first semester comprehensive exam to be awarded course credit for Semester A, and the student must pass the second semester comprehensive exam to be awarded course credit for Semester B. 

    Determining credit for half-credit courses

    A student may receive credit for a 0.5 credit course if the standards below are met: 

    • The student passes the final exam with a 70 or above, and
    • The coursework grade (representing 85% of the final course grade) and final exam grade (70 or above at 15% of the final course grade) result in a grade of 70 or higher.

    Grade Point and Rank In Class

    • High School: Online courses receive the same weighted multiplier as traditional campus courses.  Only grades in the areas of English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Languages Other Than English, and all Advanced Placement classes will be used for determining GPA and Rank In Class (RIC).  

    • Middle School: High school courses taken during middle school by students who have met middle school course prerequisites in Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and English will receive high school credit but will not count in high school GPA or RIC.

       

    UIL Eligibility and Reporting

    If the virtual course is for high school graduation requirements, and not eligible for exemption, grades for the course must be submitted to the school at the scheduled high school grading periods and, if failing, will have an impact on academic eligibility. UIL Progress Reports are sent beginning with the second UIL reporting period.

    Pacing Schedule

    Students will be provided a pacing guide that includes hard deadlines.  This support has been put in place to keep students on pace for course completion and to ensure student success.

    Progress Reports

    In the Fall and Spring terms, students will receive formal progress reports on the same schedule as they would on the home campus. 

    Grade Reporting

    Students and parents have constant access to their grades through the online course grade book. Parents will need to set up a Canvas account as an observer and link their account to their child. You can learn more about how to set up and link an observer account by Downloading the Parent Canvas Guide. Progress reports and final grades are recorded in Skyward.

    Tests, Midterms and Final Exams

    Students will demonstrate their understanding of skills and concepts in a variety of ways. They may take a traditional quiz or unit test, but they will also complete projects and use what they have learned to solve real-world problems.  Students will arrange to take their exam with their teacher. Students must bring their student ID on the day of the exam to verify their identity.

    • LISD Students: Midterm and final exams must be taken in person at a location and time designated by the instructor and proctored by a VLA staff member.  
    • Students Not Enrolled in LISD: Students must arrange to take their midterm and final exams in person at a location/time designated by their school district's Site Coordinator.

    Late Work Guidelines

    All work within a module is due by the module end date (see pacing guide for specific dates). VLA follows the district’s Late Work guidelines. A ZERO will be entered as a PLACEHOLDER for work not completed by the due date. The zero will be changed once the work has been submitted.

    • Work submitted the first day after the module end date will earn a maximum possible score of 70;
    • Work submitted the second day after the module end date will earn a maximum possible score of 60; and
    • Work submitted the third day after the module end date will earn a maximum possible score of 50.

    Module Close: 
    Modules will lock down 72 hours after the end date. You may not submit work for credit after the module has closed. Any zeros remaining when the module closes will remain as zeros in the grade book.

    Re-teach/Re-Assess/Re-Grade

    If a student earns a grade below a 70 on a major assignment, the teacher will re-teach, then re-assess.

    • In order to receive re-assessment options, students must turn in major grade assignments within a module by the module end date.
    • After the re-teach/re-assess, the higher of the two grades will be assigned, with the maximum possible score of 70.