Grading Guidelines

An Explanation of the MCA Grading System

The students' work will be evaluated by an objective standard in each class rather than compared with other students. Grades earned in independent study courses, college and/or correspondence courses, and work completed in home school settings, may apply toward graduation if approved by the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees. Only semester grades appear on the student’s high-school transcript.

The following grading system is used school-wide:

Grade
Mastery with Honor
Mastery
Non-Mastery

Our grading system is designed to emphasize the development of character and leadership in our students rather than comparisons one with another or other common measures. By insisting that students strive until they achieve a required level of accomplishment we believe that, among other things, we are helping shape in MCA students the Biblical admonition that whatever we do, we should do it with all our might, and that we should run the race to win. At the staff's discretion, a junior high student may also be given a C, for completion, in a course in which the student has not achieved Mastery, but has exhibited either; a) sufficient effort in pursuing the course material or b) made adequate progress toward Mastery to allow the student to progress to the next course. At the sole discretion of the board, a limited number of "C" courses may be allowed to apply toward graduation.

Translating Mastery into Letter Grades

We realize that this grading standard is difficult to translate for some that are unfamiliar with it, so there may be times when it would be a service to MCA families to be able to provide a translation to a letter grading system. Of particular importance could be providing transcripts for college admissions.

Accordingly, for 9th-12th grades, at the end of each year, the MCA staff will enter a letter grade for each student's class work so that any parent may request a transcript report, which has been so translated. Letter grades will be assigned based on the completed percentage of target points achieved by the student.

The following letter grades will be awarded for the point totals set forth as follows:

A+ 97+

A 93-96

A- 90-92

B+ 87-89

B 83-86

B- 80-82

C 70-79

D 60-69

F below 60

MCA wishes to emphasize that this grading option is being provided as a service only, and will not be intentionally released or reported unless specifically requested by the parent for use as described above.

Each student’s grade total is displayed in the resource center, and is available for any parent to review at any time. The point totals are listed by the last four digits of the student’s social security number, in order to allow for confidentiality. The school staff encourages parents to consult the grade book frequently as an excellent way to stay in touch withtheir student’s academic progress.

For parent’s information, our discussions with college registrars indicate that grade point average and class rank are not nearly as important as the reputation of the school, courses taken, SAT scores, and AP (advanced placement) and SAT II test scores. Also, it is very possible that in many cases a letter-grade transcript may prove unnecessary.