Set up grading

This article is for teachers. Grading can only be set up on a computer.

For your grading system, you can choose Total points or Weighted by category grading. In both, grades are calculated for you, and you can let students check their overall grade for the class. If you don’t want to use a grading system, you can choose No overall grade. Grades won’t be calculated and students can’t check their overall grade. 

You can also organize classwork with grade categories, such as Essays, Homework, and Tests. For example, if your class has 4 essay assignments, you can organize them in an Essays category.

Grades are calculated for the duration of the class. If you want to begin grading again for a new term or semester, you have to create a new class. For details, go to Copy a class.

Tips:

• Select customers can export grades directly from Classroom to their SIS. Learn more.
• To submit past due assignments, manually mark them as "Missing" or "Complete."

About the grading systems

To have grades calculated for you and an option to let students check their overall grade, use Total points or Weighted by category grading.

Total points grading

An overall grade is calculated for you by dividing the total points a student earns by the total points possible in the class. You can create grade categories and set point values for classwork in each category. For example:

Essay category	Test category	Student points/Points possible	Overall grade
Essay 1: 90/100	Test 1: 95/100	185/200	92.5%

The table shows that a student scored 90 points out of 100 on an essay, and 95 points out of 100 on a test. The student earned a total of 185 points out of 200 possible in the class. Divided, this gives an overall grade of 92.5%. 

Tip: Assignments with a grade set to "Excused" are removed from a student's grade calculation. For example, if a student has 5 assignments with a score of 100%, but doesn’t turn in one assignment that’s set to "Excused," the student will still keep an average grade of 100%.

Weighted by category grading

You assign weights (percentages) to grade categories, and an overall grade is calculated for you. This system calculates as follows:

1. Finds a student's average for a category. 
2. Multiplies each category’s average by its weight (as a decimal), giving category scores. 
3. Adds the category scores for an overall grade out of 100%.

Essay category:  50% of grade	Test category: 50% of grade	Overall grade out of 100%
Essay 1: 70/100	Test 1: 90/100
Essay 2: 80/100	Test 2: 100/100
(70 + 80) ÷ 2 = 75 avg.  75 x .5 = 37.5	(90 + 100) ÷ 2 = 95 avg. 95 x .5 = 47.5
Category score = 37.5%	Category score = 47.5%	Overall grade: 37.5 + 47.5 = 85%

The table shows weighted by category grading. In the Essay category, the student averaged 75. Multiplied by the category weight, .5, this gives 37.5% for Essays. In the Test category, the student averaged 95. Multiplied by the category weight, .5, this gives 47.5% for Tests. Adding the category scores (37.5 + 47.5) gives the student an overall grade of 85%. 

Tip: Assignments with a grade set to "Excused" are removed from a student's grade calculation. For example, if a student has 5 assignments with a score of 100%, but doesn’t turn in one assignment that’s set to "Excused," the student will still keep an average grade of 100%.

Set up a grading system

After you select a grading system, you can add grade categories. Grade categories are required with Weighted by category grading, but can also be used with Total points grading or No overall grade. 

Note: If you use SIS grade export, your Classroom grade categories don’t transfer to your student information system (SIS).

Select a grading system

You can only select a grading system in the web version of Classroom.

1. Go to classroom.google.com and click Sign In.

   Sign in with your Google Account. For example, [e-mail] or [e-mail]. Learn more.

2. Click your classSettings .
3. Next to Overall grade calculation, select one:
   • No overall grade—Grades aren’t calculated for students. Students can’t see an overall grade.
   • Total points—Divides total points earned by total points possible. You can let students see an overall grade.
   • Weighted by category—Adds the scores across categories. You can let students see an overall grade.
4. (Optional) To make the overall grade visible to students on their profile page, click Show .
   Note: This option isn’t available when grade calculation is set to No overall grade.
5. In the top-right corner, click Save.  

Create grade categories for No overall grade or Total points grading

For these options, you assign default point values to the grade categories you create. 

Note: You can only create grade categories in the web version of Classroom. 

1. Go to classroom.google.com and click Sign In.

   Sign in with your Google Account. For example, [e-mail] or [e-mail]. Learn more.

2. Click your classSettings .
3. Next to Overall grade calculation, select No overall grade or Total points from the menu.
4. Under Grade categories, click Add Grade Category.
5. Enter a grade category.
6. Under Default points, enter a whole number.
7. (Optional) To add another grade category, repeat steps 4–6.
8. In the top-right corner, click Save.

Create grade categories for Weighted by category grading

For this option, you assign percentages to the categories you create.

Note: You can only create grade categories in the web version of Classroom.

1. Go to classroom.google.com and click Sign In.

   Sign in with your Google Account. For example, [e-mail] or [e-mail]. Learn more.

2. Click your classSettings .
3. Next to Overall grade calculation, select Weighted by category from the menu.
4. Under Grade categories, click Add Grade Category.
5. Enter a grade category
6. Under Percentage, enter a whole number.
7. (Optional) To add another grade category, repeat steps 4–6.
8. In the top-right corner, click Save.
   Note: To save your settings, the categories must add up to 100%.

Remove a grade category

You can remove grade categories. Removing a grade category:

• Removes the grade category from the corresponding classwork.
• Doesn't delete the classwork itself.

1. Go to classroom.google.com and click Sign In.

   Sign in with your Google Account. For example, [e-mail] or [e-mail]. Learn more.

2. Click your classSettings .
3. Next to the grade category you want to remove, click Remove .
4. For weighted by category grading, adjust your remaining categories or add a new category to equal 100%.
5. At the top, click Save.

Related articles

• View or update your gradebook
• Grade and return an assignment
• Grade and return question answers
• Export grades to your SIS