How to Drop and Add a Student from a Section at the Same Time to keep Transcript Records

Aspen Support Updated by Aspen Support

Switching Student Sections & Preserving Grades

In Aspen, when a student moves between sections of the same course (e.g., from Algebra I Section 01 to Algebra I Section 05) or in the same department, the system can automatically merge the records so the student does not lose progress and the final transcript shows a single, continuous entry.

School Administrators can switch the "Add/drop align gradebook scores behavior" grade preferences from "Course Number" to "Department" to allow merging courses in the same deparment with the steps on the following screenshot.

Critical Requirement: The "Same Time" Rule

To trigger the automatic grade transfer prompt, you must drop the old section and add the new section in the same "Post" action within the Schedule Workspace.

Step 1: Navigate to the Student Schedule Workspace

  1. Log on to the School View at.
  2. Click the Student top tab.
  3. Find and select the student by checking the box next to their name.
  4. Click the Schedule side-tab, then select the Workspace sub-tab.
  5. Ensure you are in List View (if you see "Matrix View" in the top right, you are already in List View).

Step 2: Drop and Add Simultaneously

  1. Drop the Old Section:
    • In the "Current Schedule" list, find the section the student is leaving.
    • Click the Drop button next to that section. (The section will now appear with a strike-through or "Drop" status, but it is not yet permanent).
  2. Add the New Section:
    • Click the Add button (or use the magnifying glass/picklist) to find the new section of the same course.
    • Select the new section and click OK.
  3. Commit the Changes:
    • Review the workspace to ensure both the "Drop" and "Add" actions are listed.
    • Click Post in the lower right corner. Do not exit without clicking Post.

Step 3: Handle the Transcript Action Pop-up

Once you click Post, a "Update transcripts to new section" or "Transcript Action" pop-up window will appear. You must choose how to handle the existing data:

  • Update (Recommended): This moves all grades and comments from the old section to the new section. The old transcript record is deleted, and the new one takes over the data. This keeps the transcript "clean" with only one entry for the course.
  • Keep: This retains the old transcript record (usually requiring a final grade for that portion) and creates a second one for the new section. This results in two lines on a report card.
  • Delete: This wipes the old transcript record and its grades entirely.

Action: Select Update and click OK.

Step 4: Verify the Results

  1. Check the Transcript:
    • Go to the Student top tab > Transcript side-tab.
    • Verify that there is only one record for the course and that previous term grades have successfully moved to the new section.
  2. Gradebook Sync (For Teachers):
    • If the student was moved across different teachers, the new teacher may need to "Import Assignments" from the old section's gradebook if the scores did not automatically populate.

Troubleshooting & Tips

  • Missing Pop-up: If the pop-up did not appear, it usually means the sections were not swapped in the same "Post" action. You may need to manually merge them (see below).
  • Manual Merge: If you accidentally dropped a student one day and added them the next, go to Grades > Transcripts. Select the two records, go to Options > Merge Drop/Adds.
  • Elementary Level: For BPS elementary schools, always choose Update to ensure the student's standards-based reporting remains consistent across the year.

Need further assistance? Email the BPS Aspen Support team at aspen@bostonpublicschools.org.

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