Grades & teachers
How to appeal a grade in high school
How to get a wrong or unfair grade fixed: what to bring, what to say, and who to go to next.
Start with your teacher, in writing, with evidence, and do it fast. Teachers can fix most grade problems themselves.
If they won’t, go to the department head, then the principal. “I deserve a better grade” doesn’t work. “The rubric says this, and here’s where my essay does it” does.
Which grades can actually be fixed?
Grade problems come in three kinds, from easiest to hardest to fix:
- Mistakes. A zero for something you turned in, a typo in the gradebook, points added up wrong, a late penalty applied twice. These get fixed almost every time.
- Policy violations. The grade breaks the syllabus or your district’s grading policy, like a bigger late penalty than the policy allows or a retake the policy says you can have.
- Judgment calls. Your teacher read your essay differently than you did. You can ask, but the teacher’s call usually stands.
The law often reflects this. In Texas, state law says a teacher’s grade is final unless it’s “arbitrary, erroneous, or not consistent with the school district grading policy,” as decided by the school board. Other states leave it to each district, so search “[your district] board policy grading.” Your school board sets these rules.
Gather your evidence
- The assignment instructions and rubric
- Your graded work, with the teacher’s comments
- The syllabus, especially the grading, late-work and retake sections
- Screenshots of the gradebook (PowerSchool, Infinite Campus, Canvas, whatever your school uses) and of your submission timestamps
- Your district’s grading policy, if it’s relevant
Then do the math yourself. If you can point to the exact number that’s off, you’re most of the way there.
Email your teacher
Keep it short, polite, and about one specific thing. Frame it as a question, not an attack. (More tips: how to email a teacher about a grade.)
Subject: Question about my grade on [assignment name]
Hi Mr./Ms./Dr. [Teacher’s last name],
I have a question about my grade on [assignment name] and want to make sure I understand it. [Pick one: The gradebook shows a zero, but I turned it in on [date]. I’ve attached a screenshot. / Looking at the rubric, I think my [section] meets the “[rubric level]” description because [reason]. / The syllabus says late work loses [X]%, but I lost [Y]%.]
Could you take another look, or could we meet for a few minutes on [day]?
Thank you,
[Your name], [class name], period [#]
If you meet in person, open with “Can you walk me through how you graded this part?” and listen before you argue. Sometimes you’ll learn something that changes your mind, and sometimes the teacher will notice the problem while explaining it. For more scripts, see how to talk to your teacher about a problem.
If your teacher says no
- Department head or chair. Forward your email thread and evidence, and ask them to review it.
- Assistant principal or principal. Same evidence. Say which rule or policy you think the grade breaks.
- The district’s complaint process. Many districts have a formal grievance procedure in their board policies. It’s slow, so save it for grades that really matter, like a final grade that affects graduation or eligibility.
What about FERPA?
FERPA is the federal student records law. It gives parents, or you once you turn 18, the right to ask the school to fix education records that are “inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of” your privacy, and to get a hearing if the school says no (34 CFR 99.20–99.22).
But FERPA is not a way to challenge your teacher’s judgment. The US Department of Education says schools don’t have to let you use it to change “substantive decisions” about grades a teacher gave based on your performance. Use it when the record is wrong, like a transcript that shows a C when your report card said B. Don’t use it when you just disagree with the C.
This is general information, not legal advice. Grading rules vary by state and district.
When to bring in a parent
Try it yourself first. Teachers usually respond better to a student who asks directly than to an email from a parent. Bring a parent or guardian in when:
- You’ve asked and the teacher said no, and you’re going to the principal
- It’s a final grade or a transcript error
- You think you’re being graded unfairly because of who you are, or it keeps happening
- You’re under 18 and need a FERPA request, since those rights belong to your parents until then
Not sure how to bring it up at home? Here’s a 2-minute script.
Quick answers
Can a principal change a teacher’s grade?
Sometimes. It depends on your state’s laws and your district’s grading policy. In Texas, for example, a teacher’s grade is final unless the school board decides it was arbitrary, erroneous, or against the district’s grading policy. Check your district’s board policy on grades.
Can my parents use FERPA to change my grade?
Only to fix a record that’s inaccurate, like a grade entered wrong or an assignment recorded as missing. The US Department of Education says FERPA doesn’t require schools to reconsider a grade a teacher gave based on your performance.
How long do you have to appeal a grade?
It varies, so check your student handbook. Ask as soon as you spot the problem, and before the grading period closes. After grades are final, changes at many schools need an administrator’s sign-off.