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Grading & Report Cards

Report Card Dates (2025 – 2026):

  • Sept. 26 (Friday)
  • Nov. 10 (Monday)
  • Jan. 9 (Friday)
  • Feb 27 (Friday)
  • Apr. 24 (Friday)
  • June 12 (Friday)+

     

GRADING POLICY

Course Final Exam Schedule

Courses Cycle Final Exam
All high school courses Each six-week cycle of the semester counts as 30% 10%*


Parents!
The two most important things you can do to ensure success in high school are (1) making sure your child attends school every day on time and (2) monitoring your child’s grades through PowerSchool, progress reports, and report cards.

 

 

RETAKE POLICY 

HISD School Guidelines explain that “a student may be allowed a reasonable opportunity to make up or redo a class assignment or examination for which the student received a failing grade.”

At CVHS, a retake is an assessment that matches the rigor and objectives of an original exam. Retakes often increase a student’s grade, but they may not. The primary purpose is a second opportunity to demonstrate mastery of course material.
 

Student Retake Eligibility 

CVHS Retake Policy
Carnegie Vanguard abides by the following retake policy with respect to failed assignments:

  • 2 retakes per grading cycle
  • Maximum retake score is 70, (score of 70 to 100 = 70)
  • The highest grade between the original and the retake is counted.
  • The student, not the parent, must request the retake in writing (per teacher procedure in class syllabus)
  • Student must request the retake within 24 hours and complete the retake within one week of grade posted
  • Retakes are for in-class assessments, such as quizzes and/or tests only. A reading quiz (reading check) is an extension of homework and is not eligible for a retake.
  • Student must fill out a retake form and complete the required remediation as listed on the form.
  • If there are multiple retakes in the same day, it is the student’s responsibility to reschedule with the teacher in advance
  • Final exams are not eligible
  • Missing assignments fall under teacher’s late policy not campus retake policy.

DEPARTMENT TEST DAYS

Test and major quiz (a quiz that is 25 or more minutes) dates are coordinated to minimize the number of tests a student has to take in one day. The days are as follows: 

  • Monday: Electives
  • Tuesday: English, Math
  • Wednesday/Thursday: World Languages
  • Friday: Math, Social Studies, Science

REPORT CARDS AND PROGRESS REPORTS

Report cards go home every 6 weeks and progress reports are generated halfway through each grading period.  

A passing grade is 70 and above. An acceptable conduct grade is “S” (satisfactory) and above. Student and parents have 5 opportunities (3 progress reports and 2 interim report cards) to identify and address any problem before semester grades.

Parents!
If a student does not bring his/her report card or progress report home, check PowerSchool for the most up to date grades!

FINAL EXAM EXEMPTIONS 

Final exam exemptions - ALL grade levels

as of May 2025

CVHS spring semester final exam exemptions are for all students in grades 9 - 12 who have an average of 85 or higher and take the corresponding AP exam if it is an AP class. Students may always choose to take a final exam even if exempt.
Expectations:

  • Students who are exempt must be in attendance on the day of the final exam. Students must be here for attendance purposes.
  • If a student is absent on the day of the final exam, then the student must make up the final exam. Absence from the final exam voids the exemption.
  • Absences will not be a determining factor (subject to change, if HISD requires this as a criterion. Currently, it is not on their website)

 
Final exam exemptions are for all grades 9 – 12. It applies to all qualified students and is not at teacher discretion. If a final exam is given earlier than the week of finals, students can still be exempt. If the grade goes into the final exam category/column, then the student can and should be exempt if they qualify.

SENIORS: Final Exam Exemption Decisions must be finalized by Wednesday, May 14 (senior finals begin May 15)
Grades 9 – 11: Final Exam Exemption Decisions must be finalized by Friday, May 23 (finals begin Friday, May 30)

 Students: You are required to take your AP exams.

If you do not take your AP exam, you will LOSE your final exam exemption for that class.
An absence excuse note will not reinstate your lost exemption status. If you are not present for your AP exam, you have lost your exemption for that class.

You must come to school and take your AP exam.  If you are not happy with your performance, you may cancel your score. Cancellation forms will be available. You may also visit this website to download and fill out a cancellation form.  Forms must be mailed to the College Board by June 15. You can mail the completed form, or you can turn them into Ms. Martinez (room 132), and she will mail them as a group on June 5. Cancelled scores do not show up in any way on your College Board score report.

Score cancellation information: https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/score-reporting-services/cancel-scores

COMPOSITE GRADING (WHOLE COURSE CREDIT)

Whole course credit is a policy that allows for the averaging of semester grades in an A/B sequential course to enable a student to receive credit for the year-long course, in spite of having failed one semester.

For a yearlong course, the first semester (A portion) grade and second semester (B portion) grade must average 70 or higher (140 points or more when combined).

This policy is designed to encourage students who are struggling in a course make academic improvements and to afford them the opportunity to earn full credit. The registrar will award the credit to all that qualify; there is no application necessary.

If a student must do a credit appeal for the second semester course in order to receive credit due to excessive unexcused absences, he or she must complete the credit appeal hours before the composite grading will be awarded. Students who transfer to school mid-year (from another Houston ISD school) with a failing grade in one of the approved classes will be eligible for whole course credit. 

PARENT STUDENT CONNECT

PowerSchool is an HISD service that allows registered users (i.e., parents and students) to log in to view a student's grades as the data is inputted into the teacher’s PowerSchool Teacher Pro. program. PowerSchool also allows the user to view assignments, progress reports, attendance records, achievement test scores, report cards, and more. Users can also set up "triggers" that send an e-mail or text message if a child's grades drop below a selected average or if a student is absent or tardy to class.  Information on how to register and use the program can be found on our PowerSchool webpage. 

Parents!
PowerSchool is the best tool to regularly monitor your student’s grades.