Transfering a student's grades from one section to another of the same course.

LuzzetteSlough

We need to transfer a student from one section to another within the same course and same teacher (same assignments), so we need to transfer his grades with him. I know that we need to filter for this student in the gradebook of the current section and export his grades (Export Current Gradebook View) first, then transfer him in our SIS, sync to Canvas, and then import his grades into the gradebook of the new section. I'm just looking for step by step instructions (preferably with screenshots) for this just to be safe.

ALGCanvas

Hi, I hope this will help you in transferring your student's grade from one section to the other.

Step 1: Export Only This Student’s Grades

In the original section:

1. Go to Grades
2. Use the Search/Filter field to filter by the student’s name
   (This ensures only that student appears in the export.)
3. Click Actions → Export → Current Gradebook View
4. Download the CSV file

Important:

• Do not edit assignment column names.
• Keep the file in CSV format.
• Only modify cells if absolutely necessary (e.g., delete extra students if they appear).

Step 2: Move the Student in the SIS

1. Transfer the student to the new section in your SIS.
2. Run your SIS sync to Canvas.
3. Confirm the student appears in the new section and is removed from the old one.

Double-check before proceeding:
The student must be fully enrolled in the new section before importing.

Step 3: Prepare the CSV for Import

Open the exported CSV and:

• Remove all other students (if any are present)
• Keep:
  • Student name
  • SIS ID (if used)
  • All assignment columns
• Do NOT:
  • Rename columns
  • Delete assignment columns
  • Change formatting

Save as CSV.

Step 4: Import into the New Section

In the new section:

1. Go to Grades
2. Click Actions → Import
3. Upload the edited CSV
4. Review the import preview carefully
5. Confirm the import

Canvas will match grades based on:

• SIS ID (preferred)
• Or Student Name (if SIS ID not present)

Common Issues to Watch For

• Assignment names must match exactly
• Hidden/muted assignments still import correctly
• If assignments differ between sections, grades won’t map correctly
• If the student already has blank grades in the new section, they will be overwritten

Extra Tip (Cleaner Method – If Cross-Listing Is Allowed)

If both sections are in the same course shell, and the student is just changing sections (not courses), sometimes you can:

• Simply change their section enrollment
• Grades remain intact automatically

This depends on how your SIS and sections are structured.