GPA/Rank Committee JANUARY 22, 2018
Committee and Considerations Reviewed potential equity and fairness concerns related to current RISD class rank and GPA procedures. Criteria for committees work - equitable, fair and transparent Student Survey Data EIC Local Board Policies From Around the State Student Graduation Profiles Collegiate Perspective
Class Ranking Ranking beneficial or harmful for students during college admissions process National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) College Admissions Activity
Districts Only Ranking Top 10% Arlington ISD (only at their Collegiate High School) Austin ISD Coppell ISD Dallas (some campuses have petitioned not to rank) Eanes ISD (Austin Westlake) Grapevine-Colleyville ISD Highland Park ISD Lake Travis ISD Plano ISD (only at their Academy High School) Round Rock ISD (only at Westwood High School) Spring Branch ISD Southlake Carroll ISD South Texas ISD *None of the schools have chosen to return to the practice of ranking all graduating seniors.
Findings From Committee Inconsistent Ranking Procedures College and Universities Using More Holistic Approach for Students with No Rank Increased Student Stress Improved Admission Opportunities for Students Outside the Top 10% Weighted Course vs. Course of Interest
Community Feedback With an academically-inclined district such as RISD, it is imperative that we do not rank students past the top 10%. Please enact this policy ASAP so that it can affect current Juniors. Many of these students have high GPA s and high scores on the SAT/ACT, but do not fall within the top 10%. By enacting this policy sooner, more RISD students have the opportunity o accepted into more prestigious universities, which is also benefits the district. This is such a good idea that it should not be delayed in it s implantation. Since it is solely a administrative action and it is out of control of the student s performance, please make it active as soon as possible, (If not the class of 2018, then no later that the class of 2019.) I agree and would like to see this ASAP. I have a freshman and a 7 th grader and would like to hve the change effective as soon as able. Rank is an important component of college scholarships. For the students in the 11%-20% range to be considered equal to the students in the bottom 10% would not be accurate portrayal of the academic valor of the upper students.
Ranking Proposal From Committee Rank Not Calculated or Reported Except Top 10% Rank Shall Not Appear On Any Student s Transcript Weighted GPA Provided to Students Students in Top 10% Provided with Certificate of Class Rank Proposed Class Ranking Start Date
Class Ranking Questions and Discussion
Why Consider Change to GPA? Exploration of Courses Student Stress Level Playing Field Courses for Ranking GPA and Cumulative GPA
GPA Ranking GPA Qualifying Courses Cumulative GPA Exemptions
Community Feedback Please, please implement this for the 2018 freshmen! May daughter is basing her decision about whether to swim for school on this. I would love for our top scholars to be able to enjoy their high school years and doe the things they love. We need to encourage our kids to be well rounded and involved in things outside of the core classes. I know some kids only take classes that can get them extra points to increase their rank. This promotes kids to strictly focus on academics and not try their hand at art, sports, etc. Society needs a balance and appreciation for things outside of school work. We should be promoting the whole child. Student only have a certain number of hours in the day during which to complete homework. Priorities must be drawn. If a student must spend extra time to complete his/her AP Music Theory homework and as a result a grade is lower on her/her Pre-AP Chemistry homework, but only the Pre-AP Chem grade is figured into his/her GPA, that again would not reflect the student s full academic effort. Now that all students must have a full schedule, everyone s electives should count towards GPA. Students tend to take electives in courses in the GPA will only assist in illustrating a complete picture of a student when moving on to the work force or college following graduation. Means high flyers will only take and care about the honors and AP courses, creates less well rounded students.
Weighted Points Unweighted GPA and Levels of Courses Transparent 3 Tier System
Weighted Points Level 1 -Examples of eligible courses - Advanced Placement (AP), Dual Credit, and OnRamps courses and weighted at 5.0. Level 2 - Examples of possible eligible courses- Academic Decathlon, Honors, and Pre-Advanced Placement (Pre-AP) courses weighted at 4.5. Level 3 All other courses not categorized as level 1 or level 2 shall be weighted as level 3 at 4.0.
Weighted Points Increasing Support of District Goal Tie Breaker
Parent Feedback Probably ok w/how the proposal is read assuming that we will be moving to a 4.0 grading system (not using the current 100 point system). If we will still be on the 100 point system, I would adamantly oppose the piece of the proposal. This appears to me to be essentially the same thing that you are currently doing with the exception of adding in the dual credit and on Ramp classes into the same category as the AP classes which definitely needs to happen. This is actually the part that I have the biggest problem with for couple of reason. First, counting a dual credit class the same as an AP class is ludicrous. They are not equal in content, workload, or college value. Secondly, to say that a 90 is the same as a 99, but an 89 is worth an entire point less is neither fair nor equitable. I think adding a plus/minus would alleviate some of the problem. Most of all, I strongly believe you are going to end up with a 50 percent tie which will result in a tie breaker that you are ironically NOT being transparent about. Again, I think it is imperative that you take several grade levels and apply this new system to them as a test to see what happens.
GPA and Weighted GPA Proposal From Committee Two GPA s Ranking and Cumulative Qualifying Courses Proposed Start Date for GPA Weighted GPA 3 Tier System Integrated Grading Scale Proposed Start Date for GPA
Integrated Grading Scale NUMERICAL GRADE TIER I (5.0 SCALE) TIER II (4.5 SCALE) TIER III (4.0 SCALE) 100 5.0 4.5 4.0 99 4.9 4.4 3.9 98 4.8 4.3 3.8 97 4.7 4.2 3.7 96 4.6 4.1 3.6 95 4.5 4 3.5 94 4.4 3.9 3.4 93 4.3 3.8 3.3 92 4.2 3.7 3.2 91 4.1 3.6 3.1 90 4 3.5 3 89 3.9 3.4 2.9 88 3.8 3.3 2.8 87 3.7 3.2 2.7 86 3.6 3.1 2.6 85 3.5 3 2.5 84 3.4 2.9 2.4 83 3.3 2.8 2.3 82 3.2 2.7 2.2 81 3.1 2.6 2.1 80 3 2.5 2 79 2.9 2.4 1.9 78 2.8 2.3 1.8 77 2.7 2.2 1.7 76 2.6 2.1 1.6 75 2.5 2 1.5 74 2.4 1.9 1.4 73 2.3 1.8 1.3 72 2.2 1.7 1.2 71 2.1 1.6 1.1 70 2 1.5 1 Below 70 0 0 0
GPA and Weighted GPA Questions and Discussion