COVID Grade Change Options for Fall 2020

This is a follow up to previous communication regarding COVID grade changes. That grade change information was specific to Spring and Summer 2021. However, AB-104 also provides learning recovery options for students who struggled with low grades as a result of distance during the fall 2020 semester.

Letter Grade to Pass “CR” or No Pass “NC” Change Provision

The provision allows any student enrolled in a Mountain House High School course during the fall semester of 2020 to replace a letter grade with a Pass (CR) or No Pass (NC) designation.

Automatic Replacement of D and F Grades

The following action were already undertaken:

• Students who received a “D” in any fall semester 2020 course had the “D” replaced with a “CR” on their transcript.

• Students who received an “F” in any fall semester 2020 course had the “F” replaced with an “NC” on their transcript.

Grades that receive CR or NC on a transcript do not negatively impact GPA. 

Option for Replacing A, B, or C Grades

Any A, B, or C grade can be changed to a Pass “CR”. The process of changing a grade requires that students complete the following Letter Grade to CR Change Application. Students will be able to request the change to “CR” for fall semester 2020, as applicable, and they should indicate the grade level they were in during the fall semester 2020. The change to “CR” grades will not be done automatically and students have to request it. 

Fall 2020 Letter Grade to CR Change Application

Completion of the request requires parent approval in the form or an electronic signature at the end of the form. 

Students must be logged in to their lammersvilleusd.net account to fill out this form and will only be allowed to submit it one (1) time.

Colleges and University Considerations

• Grades of CR will award students the credit they need towards graduation and college readiness. 

• Grades of NC will not award credit and students may have to retake these courses in order to graduate, or prepare to apply for college.  

• D grades do impact GPA, but they also award needed credit towards graduation.  Most colleges and universities do not accept D grades for purposes of college entrance.  Students can retake a course with a D grade as a replacement for the D.  

• It is important for students and families to know that the California State University system must accept CR or NC grades without prejudice for any applicant enrolled in high school between 2020-21 and 2023-24. UC schools have also agreed to accept CR and NC grades for purposes of application.

• Some postsecondary educational institutions, including those in other states, may not accept a CR or NC grade instead of a letter grade for admission purposes.

• A list of postsecondary institutions that will accept, for admission purposes, a transcript with a CR or NC grade instead of a letter grade for an applicant pursuant to Education Code 49066.5(b) can be found here: California Department of Education AB 104 Postsecondary Institution Survey Results

***The Pass “CR” grade change option is only available to MHHS students for fifteen (15) calendar days following the date of this notification.***

Deadline to Submit Grade Change Applications is Tuesday, September 21, 2021

A lot of you have been reaching out for advice regarding the decision to change letter grades to CR (credit) or NC (no credit) grades. While this choice is up to each individual family, we would like to help you make an informed decision. 

 

The University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) systems have each published information on how COVID-19 has changed the way they evaluate students for admission. Please click on the links below to access that information. 

 

University of California

California State University

 

For private or out of state colleges, we encourage you to check the website and/or reach out to the admissions office of each individual school, as their policies on CR/NC grades may vary.

 

This is a new situation for all of us, so we don't have any special wisdom of experience to offer in this case. However, we can give you a general idea of the pros and cons.

 

Pros: Selecting CR instead of a letter grade may improve GPA, which is a big part of college admission. A higher GPA typically leads to higher admission chances.

 

Cons: The more information colleges have about you as a student, the more it helps them make an accurate admissions decision. Although UCs and CSUs state that students will not be penalized for CR grades, that primarily refers to GPA. We cannot predict how a  college application reader may subjectively interpret a student's choice to take CR grades in some classes but not others.