Quick answer
A school ERP for American curriculum schools should support grades K to 12, standards-based grading in elementary years, course credits and graduation requirements in high school, weighted and unweighted GPA, official transcripts, Advanced Placement courses, standardised test records, and accreditation reporting, together with local regulator requirements such as those of UAE emirates.
- Standards-based grading in elementary, letter grades and credits in high school.
- GPA calculation must follow the school policy exactly.
- Transcripts are official records for college admissions.
- Accreditation bodies review records and processes.
How are American curriculum schools structured?
| Level | Grades | Typical age |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-K and Kindergarten | Pre-K, K | 4 to 6 |
| Elementary | Grades 1 to 5 | 6 to 11 |
| Middle school | Grades 6 to 8 | 11 to 14 |
| High school | Grades 9 to 12 | 14 to 18 |
How does grading work?
- Standards-based grading
- Elementary students are often assessed against standards on a scale such as beginning, developing, proficient, and exceeding.
- Letter grades
- Middle and high school courses often use A to F grades with percentages behind them.
- GPA
- Grade point average across courses, often unweighted on a 4.0 scale and weighted for honors or AP courses.
- Credits
- High school courses earn credits toward graduation requirements.
Scales and weightings vary by school. The ERP must follow your published policy exactly.
What should an American school transcript include?
- Student details and school information.
- Courses by year with grades and credits.
- Cumulative GPA, weighted and unweighted as policy states.
- AP and honors designations.
- Graduation status and date.
- Signature and school seal, or verifiable digital signature.
What does high school course management involve?
- Course catalogue. Courses, levels, prerequisites, and credit values.
- Course selection. Students choose courses with counsellor approval.
- Scheduling. Build sections and student schedules without clashes.
- Grading. Quarter or semester grades in the gradebook.
- Credit audit. Check progress against graduation requirements each year.
- College support. Transcripts, recommendations, and test records.
Which accreditation do American schools abroad seek?
Many American curriculum schools abroad seek accreditation from US-based bodies such as Cognia, NEASC, MSA, or WASC, which review learning, leadership, and records. Accreditation adds credibility for transcripts and college admissions. In the UAE, schools also follow their emirate regulator and inspection framework.
Which test records should the ERP keep?
- Internal benchmark assessments.
- Standardised tests used by the school, such as adaptive growth tests.
- AP exam registrations and scores.
- College entrance test scores reported by students.
Hudace SchoolOS for American curriculum schools
Hudace SchoolOS supports grading policies, transcripts, and promotion rules in Student Information, course add and drop and grade management in the LMS, and user-defined fields in Core School for credits, GPA settings, and test records. Book a demo below with your grading and GPA policy.
Frequently asked questions
What is standards-based grading?
Assessment against learning standards on a proficiency scale, rather than averaging points into a percentage.
How is GPA calculated?
By converting course grades to points and averaging them, often weighted for honors and AP courses. Follow your school policy.
What is a weighted GPA?
A GPA that gives extra points for harder courses such as honors or AP.
Can the ERP produce official transcripts?
Yes, with courses, grades, credits, GPA, and signatures in your approved format.
What are AP courses?
Advanced Placement courses with College Board exams that can earn college credit.
Do American schools in Dubai follow KHDA?
Yes, private schools in Dubai are regulated by KHDA, whatever their curriculum.
Can the system audit graduation credits?
It should check each student progress against graduation requirements.