Consistent Application for Graduating Class The District shall apply the same class rank calculation method and rules for local graduation honors for all students in a graduating class, regardless of the school year in which a student first earned high school credit. The following provisions shall apply to students in the graduating classes of 2018, 2019, and 2020. Calculation Exclusions Weighted Grade System Categories Level 0 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Weighted Numerical Grade Average Except as provided below, the District shall include in the calculation of class rank semester grades earned in high school credit courses taken in grades 9 12 only, and only in the following subjects: English, mathematics, science, social studies, languages other than English, and academic decathlon, as well as any Advanced Placement (AP) course not associated with these subjects. The calculation shall include failing grades. The calculation of class rank shall exclude grades earned through credit by examination, with or without prior instruction. The District shall categorize and weight eligible courses as Levels 0 3, in accordance with provisions of this policy and as designated in appropriate District publications. Any eligible course for which a student s ARD committee has modified the required TEKS content and described the modifications in the student s IEP shall be categorized and weighted as a Level 0 course. In addition, the District shall categorize and weight as Level 0 certain eligible night school courses, eligible summer school courses, and eligible courses in the accelerated program. Any eligible course designated as general education coursework shall be categorized and weighted as Level 1 courses. Eligible dual credit courses and Pre-AP courses shall be categorized and weighted as Level 2 courses. Eligible AP courses and academic decathlon shall be categorized and weighted as Level 3 courses. The District shall assign weights to semester grades, including failing grades, earned in eligible courses and shall calculate a weighted numerical grade average in accordance with the following: DATE ISSUED: 1/8/2018 1 of 5 -X
Category Weight Level 0 multiplied by 1.0 Level 1 multiplied by 1.1 Level 2 multiplied by 1.2 Level 3 multiplied by 1.3 The District shall record unweighted numerical grades on student transcripts. Transferred Grades be eligible under the Level 0 category and the District has accepted the credit, the District shall include the grades in the calculation of class rank. be eligible to receive additional weight under the District s weighted grade system, the District shall assign additional weight to the grades based on the categories and grade weight system used by the District only if the same course is offered to the same class of students in the District. In addition, the District shall assign Level 3 weight to grades in documented International Baccalaureate (IB) courses. The following provisions shall apply to students beginning with the graduating class of 2021. Calculation Exclusions Except as provided below, the District shall include in the calculation of class rank semester grades earned in high school credit courses taken in grades 9 12 only, and only in the following subjects: English, mathematics, science, social studies, languages other than English, and academic decathlon, as well as any AP course not associated with these subjects. The calculation shall include failing grades. Beginning with students in the graduating class of 2024, the District shall also include in the calculation of class rank semester grades earned before grade 9 in AP Spanish. The calculation of class rank shall exclude grades earned through credit by examination, with or without prior instruction. DATE ISSUED: 1/8/2018 2 of 5 -X
Weighted Grade System Categories Level 0 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Weighted Numerical Grade Average The District shall categorize and weight eligible courses as Levels 0 3, in accordance with provisions of this policy and as designated in appropriate District publications. Any eligible course for which a student s ARD committee has modified the required TEKS content and described the modifications in the student s IEP shall be categorized and weighted as a Level 0 course. In addition, the District shall categorize and weight as Level 0 certain eligible night school courses, eligible summer school courses, and eligible courses in the accelerated program. Any eligible course designated as general education coursework shall be categorized and weighted as Level 1 courses. Eligible Pre-AP courses shall be categorized and weighted as Level 2 courses. Beginning with students in the graduating class of 2024, all eligible courses in languages other than English, with the exception of AP courses, shall also be categorized and weighted as Level 2 courses. Eligible AP and dual credit courses and academic decathlon shall be categorized and weighted as Level 3 courses. The District shall assign weights to semester grades, including failing grades, earned in eligible courses and shall calculate a weighted numerical grade average in accordance with the following: Category Weight Level 0 multiplied by 1.0 Level 1 multiplied by 1.1 Level 2 multiplied by 1.15 Level 3 multiplied by 1.2 The District shall record unweighted numerical grades on student transcripts. Transferred Grades be eligible under the Level 0 category and the District has accepted the credit, the District shall include the grades in the calculation of class rank. be eligible to receive additional weight under the District s weighted DATE ISSUED: 1/8/2018 3 of 5 -X
grade system, the District shall assign additional weight to the grades based on the categories and grade weight system used by the District only if the same course is offered to the same class of students in the District. In addition, the District shall assign Level 3 weight to grades in documented IB courses. The following provisions shall apply to all students, regardless of their graduating class. Local Graduation Honors Valedictorian and Salutatorian Breaking Ties Highest-Ranking Graduate For the purpose of determining honors to be conferred during graduation activities, the District shall calculate class rank in accordance with this policy and administrative regulations by using grades available at the time of calculation at the end of the third nine-week grading period of the senior year. For the purpose of applications to institutions of higher education, the District shall also calculate class rank as required by state law. The District s eligibility criteria for local graduation honors shall apply only for local recognitions and shall not restrict class rank for the purpose of automatic admission under state law. [See (LEGAL)] The valedictorian and salutatorian shall be the eligible students with the highest and second-highest rank, respectively. To be eligible for this local graduation honor, a student must: 1. Have been continuously enrolled in the same District high school for the entire two school years immediately preceding graduation; and 2. Be graduating after exactly eight semesters of enrollment in high school. In case of a tie in weighted numerical grade averages, the District shall compute the weighted numerical grade average to a sufficient number of decimal places until the tie is broken. The student meeting the local eligibility criteria for recognition as the valedictorian shall also be considered the highest-ranking graduate for purposes of receiving the honor graduate certificate from the state of Texas. The following provisions shall apply to students beginning with the graduating class of 2019. DATE ISSUED: 1/8/2018 4 of 5 -X
Reporting Class Rank The District shall notify each high school student of his or her class rank at the end of: 1. The second nine-week grading period of grade 10; 2. The second semester of grade 10; and 3. Each nine-week grading period in grade 11 and grade 12. As required by law, the District shall report class rank on the official transcript of each student in the top ten percent of a graduating class of a District comprehensive high school. When requesting an official transcript, a student whose class rank is not in the top ten percent of a graduating class shall indicate whether the District should or should not report the student s class rank on the transcript. DATE ISSUED: 1/8/2018 ADOPTED: 5 of 5 -X