After a lengthy discussion regarding grading requirements, the Lake Travis ISD board of trustees voted to table any action until a later date.



Trustees meet for a virtual board meeting April 15. The agenda began with an action item to delegate authority to Superintendent Brad Lancaster to modify the current grading requirements for remote learning.


Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the district will remain closed until at least May 4. Students will continue distance learning until the end of the closure or the end of the 2019-20 school year.

LTISD launched its remote learning platform March 26, utilizing the system Schoology for the more than 11,400 students. Shortly after, the district also began offering a number of elective classes virtually.

In accordance with guidance from the Texas Education Agency, LTISD administration has developed a modified grading guideline draft to address students’ needs in the most equitable and consistent manner, according to district information.

The guidelines presented by Elizebeth Deterra, LTISD's assistant superintendent for teaching and learning services, are separated by two categories at the elementary and secondary school levels with varying requirements depending on the grade.

A disagreement arose regarding the decision to score students differently at the middle school level than students at the high school level, with multiple board members expressing concern.


If a middle school student shows proficiency and achieves a score of at least a 70, that student will earn a 100 grade in that core subject. However, a high school student that scores at least a 70 will receive their earned grade.

For example, if a middle school student’s work produces a score of 83, they will earn a 100 in that subject. If a high school student’s work produces a score of 83, then they will earn an 83 in that subject.

Board member Bob Dorsett noted this may encourage students at the middle school level to lose motivation in their work.

“Why wouldn’t we be doing the same thing for middle school?” Dorsett asked. “Why wouldn’t they derive the benefit of their real work?”


Deterra noted the decision was a result of the overall consensus made by middle school principals. The group felt high school students are working to earn a grade point average to be considered in the college application process, but middle school students are working to progress to the next grade level.

Deterra added middle school grades are never seen within the college admissions process.

Board member Jessica Putonti said she completely agreed with Dorsett and would like to see the grading system at the middle school level reflect the one at the high school level.

“I think we need to let our middle school students know that what they’re doing is important,” Putonti said. “I wonder what message we’re sending to them if we’re saying high school grades are counting and in middle school, you’re just going to get 100, regardless of whether you got a 70 or 100.”


Following the discussion, Lancaster stated the board had not come to a clear agreement on the subject and therefore suggested the item be tabled, though LTISD did not communicate a clear date as to when the resolution would be revisited.

The board unanimously voted to postpone the action item.

Though not approved, the current draft of the remote learning grading guidelines includes varying requirements depending on the grade level as well as clarification on transcripts, class rank and weighted GPA.

Elementary grading guidelines


As stated in the draft, prekindergarten through second-grade students will receive grades through a skills-based report card. Teachers will determine grades based on anecdotal evidence of learning through student’s submissions of videos, writing samples and more.

Elementary students in third through fifth grades will receive one grade per week in four core subject areas through the submission of online learning assignments. According to the guidelines, teachers will record one formative grade per week and one summative or cumulative grade every three weeks.

If a student within these grade levels participates in online learning and demonstrates “mastery” or a score of 70 for their graded assignments, they will receive 100 for the fourth grading period. If they complete work below that threshold, they will receive 70, with the option to submit corrections.

Second-semester grades will be calculated by averaging a student’s third and fourth grading periods with final grades calculated by averaging the two semesters.


Elementary electives will not produce any formal grades, according to district information.

Secondary grading guidelines

Middle school students in sixth through eighth grades will participate in a grading system similar to those in third through fifth grades.

If a student participates and receives a score of at least 70, they will be given a 100 for the fourth grading period. If they score below that threshold, they will receive an incomplete grade until the work is finished in a summer school session. If the incomplete work is not resolved in that session, the student will then receive a final failing grade of 69 for the fourth grading period.

Second-semester grades will be calculated by averaging the student’s third and fourth grading periods, and final grades will be calculated by averaging the two semesters.

In an effort to balance expectations for teachers and families, students in ninth through 12th grades will received a limited number of assignments and grades that will count toward the fourth grading period, according to LTISD.

“Students will have the opportunity to raise their semester course average and unweighted GPA through their fourth grading period grades,” the guidelines state.

Students will also have the opportunity to submit corrections for assignments that do not garner a score of 70 or demonstrate a “mastery” level.

If corrections are not submitted and the work falls below a 70, then the student will receive an incomplete grade until the work is finished in a summer school session. If summer school is not completed, that student will receive a final failing grade of 69.

The fourth grading period will be averaged with the third grading period as usual, and all students will be exempted from final exams.

The spring semester will not be calculated when determining the class ranking system for ninth through 11th grades.

“With the unusual circumstances we are currently operating under, it was determined that it would be best to keep class ranking as it is based on the Fall 2019 semester weighted GPA,” according to LTISD.

LTISD uses the GPA earned through a senior student’s fall semester to determine the final class rank, so these grading modifications will have no bearing on the 2020 class rank.

Transcripts will be updated with the earned grades and credits for prospective college’s evaluation. However, weighted GPAs will not be recalculated for class ranking and therefore students will not see a change to their weighted GPA on their transcript.