Arkansas Grading Scale: High School GPA and Weighted Courses

The Arkansas grading scale is a single statewide A–F system used by every public secondary school: 90–100 is an A, 80–89 a B, 70–79 a C, 60–69 a D, and 59 or below an F.¹ In a regular class those letters convert to 4, 3, 2, 1, and 0 GPA points. Approved advanced courses use a separate five-point scale that adds one point to every passing letter grade, which is how Arkansas students end up with cumulative GPAs above 4.0.

The Standard Scale

The scale is set by Arkansas Code 6-15-902 and applies to all public secondary schools:¹

A: 90–100 (4 points)
B: 80–89 (3 points)
C: 70–79 (2 points)
D: 60–69 (1 point)
F: 59 and below (0 points)

The statute carves AP, IB, and other approved weighted courses out of this scale. Those follow the higher-value scale described next.

How Weighted Courses Change the Math

For any course approved for weighted credit, each letter grade is worth one extra quality point:²

A: 90–100 (5 points)
B: 80–89 (4 points)
C: 70–79 (3 points)
D: 60–69 (2 points)
F: 59 and below (0 points)

The letter ranges are identical; only the GPA value shifts. A B in AP Chemistry is worth 4 points, while a B in regular chemistry is worth 3. Over four years of weighted courses, that difference is what pushes a cumulative GPA past 4.0. The same five-point scale applies across every category of approved weighted course: AP, IB, approved honors, qualifying concurrent college courses, and approved CTE pathway courses.²

One thing the F row makes clear: failing a weighted course gives you the same zero as failing a regular one. The extra point only shows up when you pass.

Which Courses Qualify for the Extra Point

AP and IB

Signing up for an AP or IB class is not by itself enough. Arkansas law attaches three conditions, and all three must be met before weighted credit posts:¹

The student completes the entire course in that subject. Dropping the course or switching into a regular section forfeits the weighted credit.
The student sits for the end-of-course exam: the College Board exam for AP, or the IB exam at the time the IB organization prescribes. No particular score is required for the weighted GPA credit, but the exam must be taken.
The teacher is properly trained. For AP, that means an Arkansas teaching license and attendance at an approved training at least once every five years, such as the College Board AP Summer Institute or another College Board-endorsed program, or a comparable training approved by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). An AP teacher who has not yet finished training can work under an Additional Training Plan for up to three years while students still earn weighted credit. IB teachers need an Arkansas license plus the IB organization’s own required training.³

Honors Courses

A class labeled “honors” in the course catalog does not automatically carry the five-point scale. The district has to apply to DESE, and approval requires documentation that the course exceeds the curriculum standards for a regular class or matches the rigor of a comparable AP course.⁵

Concurrent College Courses

A high school student taking a college course through concurrent enrollment earns weighted credit only when the local school board has adopted a policy allowing it and the specific course has been approved by DESE’s Weighted Credit and AP Training Approval Committee.4Code of Arkansas Rules. Arkansas Code of Arkansas Rules 6 CAR 96-402 – School District Weighted Credit Policies for College Courses Approved concurrent courses use the same five-point scale as AP and IB.

CTE Pathway Courses

Career and technical education courses can qualify when they sit inside an approved CTE pathway and meet two conditions: the course exceeds the curriculum standards for a non-weighted class, and it leads to an approved industry-recognized certification.¹ DESE and the Division of Career and Technical Education review these jointly. The state’s Success-Ready Pathway Guide identifies which specific courses inside each pathway carry weighted credit.⁶

What a Weighted GPA Does for You

Inside Arkansas, a weighted GPA directly affects class rank and in-state scholarship positioning. Recipients of the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship, the state’s lottery-funded award, must keep a cumulative 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale in college, earn at least 27 semester hours in the first academic year, and stay continuously enrolled each fall and spring.⁷ The high school admission threshold varies by year and applicant pool, so a stronger weighted GPA improves the odds of initial eligibility.

For out-of-state and selective admissions, the weighted number matters less than it looks. Many colleges recalculate GPAs on their own scales. The Common Application instructs school counselors to report the weighted GPA when a school calculates both, but the GPA field is not required for submission, and admissions readers rely heavily on the transcript itself to see whether the weighted GPA reflects a genuinely rigorous course load.⁸

Checking Whether Your Course Is Approved

Weighted credit in Arkansas is not a local decision. The State Board of Education sets the scale, DESE approves individual honors and concurrent college courses, and DESE with the Division of Career and Technical Education signs off on weighted CTE courses.¹ A course a school lists as “honors” or “advanced” in its catalog will not carry the five-point scale unless the state has approved it. If a specific course’s status is unclear, your school counselor can confirm it, and the state’s published pathway guides identify approved CTE courses directly.²

1
Justia. Arkansas Code 6-15-902 – Grading Scale – Exemptions – Special Education Classes
2
Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education. Rules Governing Grading and Course Credit – 6 CAR Part 96
3
Arkansas Department of Education. Advanced Placement (AP) Teacher Training
4
5
Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education. Rules Governing Grading and Course Credit – 6 CAR Part 96

Concurrent College Courses
A high school student taking a college course through concurrent enrollment earns weighted credit only when the local school board has adopted a policy allowing it and the specific course has been approved by DESE’s Weighted Credit and AP Training Approval Committee.4Code of Arkansas Rules. Arkansas Code of Arkansas Rules 6 CAR 96-402 – School District Weighted Credit Policies for College Courses
6
Arkansas Department of Education. Success-Ready Pathway Guide
7
Arkansas Department of Higher Education. ACST Traditional Recipient Info Sheet
8
Common App Member Support. How Do I Report My Class Rank and GPA?