Overview
Decreto 1290 de 2009 regulates student evaluation and promotion in basic and secondary education in Colombia. It replaced Decree 230 of 2002 and gives institutions autonomy to define their own evaluation systems within legal parameters.Key Requirements
Decree 1290 establishes:1. Evaluation Scale
National Scale: Four performance levels- Desempeño Superior (Superior Performance)
- Desempeño Alto (High Performance)
- Desempeño Básico (Basic Performance)
- Desempeño Bajo (Low Performance)
- Must be included in the SIE (Sistema Institucional de Evaluación)
- Commonly: 1.0 to 5.0 scale
- Must align with national performance levels
2. Evaluation Periods
- Minimum: Four academic periods per school year
- Each period must have defined start/end dates
- Final report issued at year end
3. Promotion Criteria
Automatic Promotion: Students advance unless:- They fail the same grade for the second consecutive year
- They fail three or more subjects
- They accumulate 25% or more unjustified absences
- Students with 1-2 failed subjects get recovery activities
- Final evaluation determines promotion
- Maximum one additional evaluation opportunity
4. Reporting Requirements
Periodic Reports (boletines):- Issued each academic period
- Show performance level per subject
- Include qualitative observations
- Signed by teacher and institution authority
- Comprehensive annual report
- Lists all subjects with final grades
- States promotion decision
- Required for SIMAT and official records
How Athena Implements Decree 1290
Database Schema
Academic Periods
Minimum Four Periods: Athena enforces that schools configure at least four academic periods per school year to comply with Decree 1290.
Grading Scale Configuration
Stored inschool_settings:
Activity Scores and Grades
Report Cards (Boletines)
Grade Calculation
Weighted Average Method
Default calculation in Athena:| Activity | Weight | Score | Weighted Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quiz 1 | 15% | 4.0 | 0.60 |
| Homework | 20% | 4.5 | 0.90 |
| Midterm Exam | 30% | 3.8 | 1.14 |
| Final Project | 35% | 4.7 | 1.65 |
| Total | 100% | 4.29 → 4.3 |
Performance Level Assignment
Configuration
Step 1: Define School Year
Navigate to Configuración → Año Lectivo Required:- Year name (e.g., “2026”)
- Start date (e.g., January 20, 2026)
- End date (e.g., November 30, 2026)
Step 2: Configure Academic Periods
Minimum four periods required:| Period | Name | Dates | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Primer Período | Jan 20 - Mar 28 | 10 |
| 2 | Segundo Período | Mar 31 - Jun 13 | 11 |
| 3 | Tercer Período | Jun 16 - Sep 5 | 12 |
| 4 | Cuarto Período | Sep 8 - Nov 30 | 12 |
Flexible Scheduling: Schools can define period lengths based on their calendar. Athena validates that periods don’t overlap and cover the full school year.
Step 3: Set Grading Scale
Navigate to Configuración → Escala de Calificación Configure:- Numeric range (typically 1.0 to 5.0)
- Passing threshold (typically 3.0)
- Performance level ranges:
- Bajo: 1.0 - 2.9
- Básico: 3.0 - 3.9
- Alto: 4.0 - 4.5
- Superior: 4.6 - 5.0
- Rounding precision (typically 1 decimal place)
- Calculation method (weighted or simple average)
Evaluation Workflow
Creating Evaluation Activities
- Teacher navigates to their course
- Selects Nueva Actividad (New Activity)
- Fills out activity form:
- Title (e.g., “Quiz de Álgebra Lineal”)
- Type (quiz, exam, homework, project)
- Academic period
- Weight percentage
- Due date (optional)
- Instructions and attachments
- Saves activity
Recording Grades
- Teacher opens the activity
- Views grade entry table (student roster)
- Enters scores for each student
- Adds individual observations if needed
- Saves scores
- Scores must be within configured scale (e.g., 1.0-5.0)
- Decimal precision enforced
- Cannot modify after period closure (configurable)
Generating Report Cards
-
Period Closure:
- Coordinator closes academic period
- Triggers automatic grade calculation
- Report cards move to “draft” status
-
Teacher Review:
- Teachers review calculated grades
- Add qualitative observations per subject
- Note strengths, areas for improvement, recommendations
-
Publication:
- Coordinator reviews all report cards
- Approves and publishes
- Students/guardians can view online
- PDF generation for printing
Automatic Calculation: Athena automatically calculates period grades based on activity scores and weights. Teachers can override if justified and documented.
Promotion Analysis
Year-End Promotion Decision
Athena provides a promotion analysis dashboard: Automatic Checks:- ✅ Student passed all subjects (all final grades ≥ 3.0)
- ⚠️ Student failed 1-2 subjects → Recovery required
- ❌ Student failed 3+ subjects → Repeat grade
- ❌ Absences ≥ 25% → Review required
- ❌ Second consecutive year failing same grade → Repeat grade
- System flags students needing recovery
- Teachers create recovery activities
- Student completes recovery work
- Teacher evaluates and records recovery grade
- If passing, student promoted; if failing, repeats grade
Promotion Report
Generate at year-end:Report Card Features
Digital Report Cards
Available Online:- Students/guardians log in to view current grades
- Real-time updates as teachers enter scores
- Historical report cards accessible
- Download PDF for official records
PDF Generation
Includes:- Institution header (logo, name, resolution)
- Student identification
- Period dates
- Subject-by-subject breakdown:
- Subject name
- Teacher name
- Numeric grade
- Performance level
- Qualitative observations
- Absences/tardiness
- Overall average
- General observations
- Promotion status (year-end report)
- Signatures (digital or for printing)
Printing and Distribution
Options:- Individual printing: Download and print specific student reports
- Batch printing: Generate PDFs for entire class/grade
- Email delivery: Send digital reports to guardian emails
- In-app notification: Alert guardians when reports are published
Permissions
Access control for academic evaluation:| Role | Permissions |
|---|---|
| Rector | Full access, approve SIE, override grades |
| Coordinator | View all, close periods, publish reports |
| Teacher | Create activities, enter grades, add observations (own courses only) |
| Secretary | View reports, generate exports |
| Student | View own grades and reports |
| Guardian | View own child’s grades and reports (read-only) |
Best Practices
Document Your SIE
Maintain updated written documentation of your Sistema Institucional de Evaluación:
- Grading scale and performance levels
- Promotion and recovery criteria
- Evaluation methodology per subject area
- Parent communication procedures
Consistent Grading
Ensure grading consistency:
- Train all teachers on the SIE
- Use rubrics for major assignments
- Calibrate grading across teachers of same subject
- Regular teacher meetings to review grade distributions
Timely Feedback
Enter grades promptly:
- Students should see scores within reasonable time
- Parents should have visibility before period closes
- Early identification of struggling students for intervention
- Avoid grade entry rush at period end
Qualitative Observations
Use observation fields effectively:
- Go beyond “good” or “needs improvement”
- Be specific about strengths and weaknesses
- Provide actionable recommendations
- Maintain professional, constructive tone
Common Questions
Can a student fail the same grade twice?
No. Decree 1290 Article 6 states that a student cannot repeat the same grade more than once. After the second year, the institution must promote the student with a personalized academic plan.How many subjects can a student fail and still be promoted?
Up to 2 subjects, provided they complete successful recovery activities. Failing 3 or more subjects requires repeating the grade.Can institutions use a different grading scale?
Yes, as long as it maps clearly to the four national performance levels (Bajo, Básico, Alto, Superior). Common scales include:- 1.0 to 5.0 (most common)
- 1.0 to 10.0
- Percentage-based (0-100%)
What if a teacher disputes a calculated grade?
Override with justification. If the automatic calculation doesn’t reflect student performance (e.g., due to exceptional circumstances), the teacher can override with:- Written justification
- Coordinator approval (for significant changes)
- Documentation in student file
How to handle special needs students (PIAR)?
Personalized evaluation: Students with PIAR (Plan Individual de Ajustes Razonables) are evaluated according to their individualized plan:- Adjusted evaluation criteria
- Modified activities and assessments
- Separate notation in report cards
- Promotion based on PIAR objectives, not standard scale
students.piar_data JSONB field.
Regulatory References
- Decreto 1290 de 2009: Evaluation and promotion regulations
- Decreto 1075 de 2015: Consolidated education sector regulations (includes 1290)
- Ley 115 de 1994: General Education Law
- Decreto 1421 de 2017: Inclusive education framework (PIAR)
Ministry of Education Guidance
- Evaluation system guidelines: [Search “Decreto 1290” on MEN website]
- SIE examples and templates
- Annual evaluation directives
Consult Regional Authority: Some Secretarías de Educación provide additional guidance or templates for SIE implementation. Check with your local educational authority.
Next Steps
Academic Configuration
Set up periods, grading scale, and subjects
Grade Management
Learn how to enter and manage grades