Grading students with IEPs

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

Students with IEPs who receive only accommodations are graded on the same standards as their classmates; the accommodation changes how they show learning, not the grading scale. When work is modified, the grade measures a different standard, and districts decide how to report that. A report card grade and IEP goal progress are separate reports, and both go home.

Grading is where accommodations and modifications have real consequences. A teacher who quietly raises a grade to protect a student, or who refuses to give credit for work done with speech-to-text, can both cause problems. Federal law says little about grades directly. Most of the rules come from district grading policy, state diploma rules and civil rights law against discrimination.

This page follows one fictional student through a semester, then lays out the options in a table. For choosing accommodations in the first place, start with the pillar on IEP accommodations.

The basic rule: accommodated work, same standard

An accommodation changes how a student learns or shows learning. The standard stays the same, so the grading stays the same. A quiz taken with a read-aloud and extended time is scored with the same key as everyone else's. Nobody should lower the grade because the student used an accommodation, and nobody should raise it for the same reason.

A modification changes what the student is expected to learn. A grade on modified work measures a different standard. Districts handle that in different ways, covered in the table below. The accommodations vs modifications guide has the deciding test and examples.

One student, one semester

The student and numbers are illustrative. Priya is in 9th grade in a general education biology class. Her IEP lists:

1.5 times the standard time on tests and quizzes.
Tests read aloud.
Speech-to-text for written responses.
One modification: lab reports are graded on a modified rubric that does not include the experimental design section, which her team judged above her current level.

August: setting the plan

Before the first unit, the case manager meets with the biology teacher for 15 minutes. They agree on three things:

Tests and quizzes are scored on the standard key. The accommodations change only time and format.
Lab reports use the modified rubric, out of 15 points instead of 20.
The district grading policy allows a report card comment code for modified work. The teacher will use it on the lab report category only.

October: the first progress check

Category	Weight	Priya's average	How it was graded
Tests and quizzes	50%	74%	Standard key, accommodated
Lab reports	30%	86%	Modified rubric
Classwork	20%	81%	Standard, with speech-to-text

Her quarter grade is a C+. The report card shows a comment code on the course stating that some work was graded against modified expectations, as the district's policy allows. Her separate IEP progress report shows her reading comprehension goal moving from 52% to 64% of questions answered correctly, and her written expression goal on track.

December: a grading question

The teacher notices that Priya's test scores drop on the two tests taken without the read-aloud, when the resource teacher was absent. Scores were 58% and 61%, against 74% to 82% with it. The teacher raises this with the case manager. The fix is a backup reader, not a grade change. The missed accommodations are logged, and the team offers a retake with the read-aloud. The accommodation tracking sheet is a simple way to catch gaps like this.

January: the transcript

Priya's semester grade goes on her high school transcript. Her district's transcript lists the course as Biology with no special education notation. The modified lab rubric is recorded on the report card and in the IEP, not on the transcript. Whether the course earns standard credit toward her diploma depends on her state's diploma rules and the district's policy on modified coursework. Her case manager checks both and explains them to the family at the annual review.

Report cards vs transcripts

These are different documents with different readers.

Report cards go to the student and family. Their job is to tell the family how the student is doing. Federal civil rights guidance allows a report card to note that work was modified or graded against IEP-based expectations, because that helps the parent understand what the grade means.^[5]

Transcripts go to colleges and employers. They are part of the student's education record, and families have rights over who sees those records.^[3] The same guidance says a transcript should not reveal that a student has a disability or receives special education.^[5] Some districts mark modified coursework in a way used for any student (for example, a course title such as "Biology Foundations" taken by students with and without IEPs), rather than a label that points to disability. District practice varies, so follow your written policy.

Section 504 and the ADA prohibit schools from treating students differently on the basis of disability, and that applies to grading and records too.^[2]^[4] A grading practice that singles out students with IEPs, such as capping their grades at a C regardless of performance, raises discrimination concerns.

Grading options at a glance

Option	When it fits	Effect on what the grade means	Where rules differ
Standard grading, accommodated work	Student receives accommodations only	Same as peers	Rarely differs
Modified rubric or modified assignments	IEP lists a modification	Grade reflects modified expectations	District policy on report card notation
Grading on IEP goals	Student works on alternate or heavily modified content	Reflects progress on individual goals	Districts and states differ widely; often tied to alternate standards
Pass/fail for a course	Some electives or modified courses	No letter grade; credit rules apply	District policy; may affect GPA and credit
Shared grading (general and special educator)	Co-taught classes	Same standard, two graders	District practice
Narrative or standards-based report	Elementary grades, or district-wide	Shows skill-by-skill progress	District choice
Course credit for modified courses	High school	May or may not count toward a standard diploma	State diploma rules decide

Students working toward alternate achievement standards are usually graded differently from the start, and their state may offer different diploma options. Those choices belong to the IEP team and the state's rules, not an individual teacher.

IEP progress is not the grade

The IEP must say how progress toward each annual goal will be measured and when reports go to parents, such as with report cards.^[1] That progress report is separate from the course grade.

A student can earn a B in English and make little progress on a reading fluency goal, or fail algebra while meeting a math calculation goal. Both pieces of information belong in front of the family. The IEP progress report guide explains how to write the goal side.

Common grading mistakes

Weak: Giving a student with an IEP an automatic passing grade. Better: Grading to the standard, delivering every accommodation, and bringing concerns to the team if the student cannot pass with accommodations.

Weak: Lowering a test score because the student had extended time. Better: Scoring the test on the same key. Time is not part of the standard.

Weak: Modifying the rubric on your own because a student is struggling. Better: Asking the case manager to bring it to the IEP team, so the modification is documented and reported as policy requires.

Weak: Writing "IEP" or "special education" next to a course on a transcript. Better: Following the district's transcript policy, which should not disclose disability.

What to ask before the term starts

Which of this student's accommodations affect how I score work?
Does the IEP list any modifications, and for which assignments?
What does our district grading policy say about reporting modified work?
Who reports IEP goal progress, and how often?
For high school, does any modified course affect credit or diploma type in our state?

The how to implement IEP accommodations guide covers the classroom routines that keep grading fair, and the testing accommodations guide covers state and district tests. Grading, credit and transcript rules vary by state and district. This is general information, not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

Can a student with an IEP fail a class?

Yes. An IEP does not guarantee a passing grade. If a student is failing despite receiving every accommodation, the teacher should tell the case manager so the team can look at whether the IEP needs to change.

Can a report card say a student has an IEP?

Many districts allow report cards to note that work was modified, because report cards go to the family. Transcripts are different and generally should not reveal a disability. Follow your district's written policy.

Should accommodations change a student's grade?

No. Accommodations change how a student shows learning, not the standard, so accommodated work is graded on the same key or rubric as everyone else's. Only modifications change what the grade measures.

Are IEP progress reports the same as grades?

No. Grades report performance in the course. IEP progress reports show movement toward each annual goal. Families receive both, and they can tell different stories.

Use it in IEP Atlas

Sources

34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
Parent and Educator Resource Guide to Section 504 in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools (2016), U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights
34 CFR Part 99: Family Educational Rights and Privacy, eCFR (National Archives)
28 CFR Part 35: Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in State and Local Government Services, eCFR (National Archives)
Dear Colleague Letter: Report Cards and Transcripts for Students with Disabilities (October 17, 2008), U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights

Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.