Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online) Vol.6, No.25, 2015 95 Reducing Unnecessary Accumulation of Incomplete Grades: A Quality Improvement Project Maria Carmela L Domocmat, RN, MSN Assistant Professor, Northern Luzon Adventist College, Artacho, Sison, Pangasinan 2434, Philippines Abstract It has been noted that there is an increasing percentage of students accumulating incomplete (INC) grades. This paper aims to identify the factors that contribute to the accumulation of incomplete grades of students and, utilizing the best practices of various universities worldwide, it intends to recommend solutions in limiting the number of students with incomplete grades. Keywords: Quality improvement, incomplete grades, college 1. Background The quality of students a school produce mirrors the quality of education an institution has provided. The foundational responsibility of the school is to train students enrolled in its various programs and incorporated to this training is the development of the trait of finishing tasks. However, when many students are not accomplishing their requirements on time, it reflects a negative attitude needing correction. For one, the objective of the school is the character formation of students. This character formation is embedded in the vision of the Northern Luzon Adventist College (NLAC) which is the “The school that prepares for life”. It has been noted that there is an increasing percentage of students accumulating incomplete (INC) grades. About 21% to 50% of students from different programs received INC grades in one or more subjects, minor and major alike, based from the second semester of SY 2012-2013. Further, incomplete grades of one student could range from one subject up to 18 minor subjects or 14 major subjects. 2. Objectives and Outcome Measurement Due to the increasing number of students with INC it is the intention of this paper to identify the factors that contribute to the accumulation of incomplete grades of students and subsequently recommend solutions in limiting the number of students with incomplete grades. Moreover, through the application of the recommendations, it aims to decrease the number of students who have incomplete grade at the end of first semester by 40% and 65% by second semester, SY 2013-2014. 3. Current practice and Procedure The recent practice in NLAC regarding the provision of INC is that teachers customarily give students incomplete grade if they have not completed the requirements for the course (or have not taken the final examination providing that they have successfully completed a substantial portion of the course’s work with a passing grade). Students are given one year to complete the requirements; and if the students fail to complete their deficiencies within the specified time, the teachers compute the grade of the students based on their recorded points. However, when the Registrar’s office (RO) has not receive any final grade after the one-year probation, the students’ INC grade will be changed to “F” grade and the students are required to re-enroll the subject/s. Conversely, when the students are able to complete their deficiencies, they will purchase a Completion Form (P1.00) from the RO (see Figure 1), fill up the form and subsequently request the teacher to write their final grade in the form. Afterwards, the students proceed to the dean/department head for signature and then pass the single copy of the Completion Form back to the RO. Form for Grade Adjustment Name: _____________________________________________Course/Year: ___________________________ Subjects Semester and Year Taken Grade Instructor’s Printed Name Instructor’s Signature __________________________ ____________________________________ _________________ Student’s Signature Dean’s/ Department Head’s Signature Date complied Figure 1. NLAC INC Grade Completion Form