Dropping Low Scores using Total Point and Category Weighting

The Drop Low Scores utility enables you to remove the lowest scoring assignments from a student's grade for the selected Grading Period, if doing so will improve the student's grade or if the student's grade for the grading period will remain the same. During this process you can drop low scores for each student in the class. You can choose the number of assignments you wish to drop based on specific Categories for gradebooks with a calculation type of Assignment Total Points or Category Weighting.

If you have previously dropped assignment scores, you can un-drop these to pull them back into the calculation. They may still be chosen as the lowest score to drop. You can also choose how many low scores will be dropped from the grade calculation.

Scroll past the video to access the step-by-step instructions.

Before you begin

  • The grade calculation for the grading period must be set to assignment total points or category weighting.

Audio Transcript

The Drop Low Scores utility enables you to remove the lowest scoring assignments from a student’s grade for the selected grading period and can improve the student’s grade. Let’s begin by navigating to the Gradesheet feature under the Gradebook module. We’ll select the appropriate tile for the class we would like to make changes to. On this screen, we’ll click on More and then Tools. Next, we’ll select the Drop Scores icon next to the grade bucket that we would like to drop scores for. We’ll leave the From All Assignments radio button selected because we want to choose the number of assignments to drop. In the Number of Assignments to Drop field, we can enter the number of assignments we’d like to drop. For our example, we’ll leave the default selection of one. Under the Categories To Exclude heading, we can select the categories we want to exclude to drop. For our example, we’ll select Test. Let’s select Next. Now, we’ll see a list of students and the assignments that are going to be dropped. We can also uncheck any students if we do not want an assignment to be dropped. It’s good to note, that if dropping a score will result in a lower grade for the student, the student’s assignment is unchecked and cannot be modified. Let’s select Drop. On this screen, we can see the students and their associated assignments that have been dropped. We can select Close. Now that you know how to drop low scores for your students, you’ll be able to improve your students’ grades for the selected grading period.

The Drop Low Scores utility enables you to remove the lowest scoring assignments from a student’s grade for the selected grading period and can improve the student’s grade. Let’s begin by navigating to the Gradesheet feature under the Gradebook module. We’ll select the appropriate tile for the class we would like to make changes to. On this screen, we’ll click on More and then Tools. Next, we’ll select the Drop Scores icon next to the grade bucket that we would like to drop scores for. We’ll leave the From All Assignments radio button selected because we want to choose the number of assignments to drop. In the Number of Assignments to Drop field, we can enter the number of assignments we’d like to drop. For our example, we’ll leave the default selection of one. Under the Categories To Exclude heading, we can select the categories we want to exclude to drop. For our example, we’ll select Test. Let’s select Next. Now, we’ll see a list of students and the assignments that are going to be dropped. We can also uncheck any students if we do not want an assignment to be dropped. It’s good to note, that if dropping a score will result in a lower grade for the student, the student’s assignment is unchecked and cannot be modified. Let’s select Drop. On this screen, we can see the students and their associated assignments that have been dropped. We can select Close. Now that you know how to drop low scores for your students, you’ll be able to improve your students’ grades for the selected grading period.



  1. Select Menu > Teacher Access > Gradebook.
  2. Select Gradesheet under Features.

    If you have not opened a gradesheet in your current session, you see the Gradebook Class List, which displays a tile for each class you teach.

    If you have already opened a gradesheet in your current session, you return to the most recently opened gradesheet. To select a different class, click Class List near the top right of the screen.

  3. Verify you are in the correct school year by checking the information at the top left of the screen.
  4. Select the Tile for the class you wish to drop low scores for.
    You see the Gradesheet screen, which displays students, Grading Periods, Assignments, and Scores for the class you selected.
  5. Click More near the top right of the screen.

    You see the List Options drop-down menu.

  6. Select Tools from the menu.

    You see the Drop Low Scores tab of the Gradebook Tools screen.

  7. Click Drop Scores to the left of the grading period you wish to adjust.

    The Drop Scores option only displays for grading periods that are still open.

    You see the Drop Low Score screen.

  8. Complete the appropriate fields.

    Required fields are identified with an asterisk. You must complete required fields before you can save your work.

    1. Under the Student Assignment Details heading, check the Un-Drop Previously Dropped Assignments box if appropriate.

      If you check this box, a dropped score is pulled back into the calculation but may still be included in the students lowest scores to be dropped. This enables you to consider all assignments when processing this utility.

      If you are dropping scores for open grading periods with a calculation type of Category Weighting, skip to sub-step e.
    2. Select the appropriate radio button for the Drop Method.

      If you choose to drop scores From All Assignments, continue to the next sub-step.

      If you choose to drop scores By Category, skip to sub-step e.

    3. Enter the Number of Assignments to Drop.
    4. Under the Categories To Exclude heading, enter the Category To Exclude or click the Down Arrow icon to choose from the drop-down list.

      For example, if you wish to drop one assignment as long as it is not a test, you would choose to exclude the test category.

      You can click Add Category to Exclude to add another category to exclude, or click Clear Category to Exclude to remove the category if necessary.

      Skip to sub-step g.

    5. Under the Categories heading, enter the Category To Drop or click the Down Arrow icon to choose from the drop-down list.
    6. Enter the Number of Assignments To Drop.

      For example, if you wish to drop one assignment from the homework category, you would select homework as the category to drop and enter 1 as the number of assignments to drop.

      You can click Add Category to add another category to drop, or click Clear Category to remove the Category To Drop and Number of Assignments To Drop if necessary.

    7. Click Next near the top left of the screen.

      You see a preview of assignments to be dropped for each student.

    8. Verify the assignments to be dropped are correct.

      Students and their associated assignments that will improve or not affect their grade when dropped are checked by default, but can be modified if necessary. If dropping the score will result in a lower grade for the student, the student's assignment is unchecked and cannot be checked.

  9. Click Drop near the top left of the screen.

    You see the students and their assignments included in the process.

  10. Choose one of the options near the top left of the screen.
    OptionDescription
    Drop More Assignments Refreshes the Drop Low Score screen so you can drop additional scores.
    Close You return to the Drop Low Scores tab of the Gradebook Tools screen. A circle icon with the letter D displays next to the assignments that were dropped in the gradesheet to indicate the assignments will not be included in the calculation of the students' grades.