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Coursetaking: Grade Point Average

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  • View student performance by years and various criteria, including overall GPAs, GPAs by core academic courses, and by other academic courses.  
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Overall
Core Academic Courses
Other Academic Courses

 Overall grade point average (GPA) in 2009 averaged 3.00, up from an average of 2.68 in 1990, but did not change from 2005 to 2009. Similarly, GPAs were higher for core and other academic courses in 2009 than in 1990, but did not change significantly from 2005 to 2009.

Trend in GPA, overall and by course type: 1990-2009
Course type 1990 1994 1998 2000 2005 2009
Average GPA Standard error Average GPA Standard error Average GPA Standard error Average GPA Standard error Average GPA Standard error Average GPA Standard error
Overall GPA 2.68 * (0.012) 2.79 * (0.013) 2.90 * (0.018) 2.94 * (0.013) 2.98   (0.009) 3.00   (0.009)
Core academic course GPA 2.47 * (0.012) 2.57 * (0.014) 2.69 * (0.020) 2.73 * (0.015) 2.77   (0.009) 2.79   (0.010)
Other academic course GPA 2.83 * (0.017) 2.94 * (0.015) 3.03 * (0.019) 3.09 * (0.014) 3.12   (0.009) 3.14   (0.010)
Other course GPA 3.03 * (0.013) 3.16 * (0.016) 3.26 * (0.018) 3.31 * (0.013) 3.36 * (0.009) 3.39   (0.009)
 

* Significantly different (p<.05) from 2009.

NOTE: The HSTS identifies three types of courses: Core academic, other academic, and other. Core academic courses are English, mathematics, science, and social studies. Other academic courses are fine arts, foreign languages, and computer-related studies. Other courses include courses such as vocational education, personal health, and physical education.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, High School Transcript Study (HSTS), various years, 1990-2009.