Informational Meeting

1
Informational Meeting

• Class Rank for
• Students Entering Ninth Grade in
• 2005-06 2006-07

2
Background Information

• Committee of parents, teachers, counselors and
  administrators convened
• Meetings held twice weekly during December and
  January
• Review of committees recommendation by Dr.
  Middleton
• Approval of amendments to policy EIC(LOCAL) on
  March 26

3
Course Options Mailed

• Packet mailed in mid-April included
• a letter explaining the policy
• a copy of the class rank policy
• EIC (LOCAL)
• a list of the courses the student selected for
  next school year

4
What is class rank?

• Class rank is a measure of each students
  academic performance in high school.

5
Why do we have class rank?

• Solely for the purposes of college admissions
  and scholarship eligibility

6
What are the best predictors of college success?

• Research indicates two important factors
• Grades in college preparatory courses
  
• Degree of academic course rigor throughout high
  school

7
What courses are used to arrive at a students
Cumulative Rank Point Total?

• Core academic courses
• English
• Math
• Science
• Social Studies
• Foreign Language
• All Pre-AP (Pre-Advanced Placement) and AP
  (Advanced Placement courses)

8
Are any courses excluded from class rank?

• Yes, excluded courses are
• Summer school courses
• Evening school courses
• Correspondence courses
• Credit by exams
• Foreign summer study courses
• Pass/fail courses
• Courses exempted by ARD

9
What other courses are excluded from class rank?

• High school courses taken in middle school
• Repeated courses in high school
• No Credit (NC) courses due to attendance issues
• Second semester courses of
• the final year

10
How many courses can be counted for class rank?

• No more than eight (8) rankable courses per
  semester the highest eight grades are used
  for any rankable courses taken through May, 2007
• Beginning in 2007-2008, only the highest five (5)
  rankable course grades
• per semester will count
• These must include core courses, if taken

11
Are all courses counted equally?

• Weight Factors
• AP 1.29
• Any content area
• Pre-AP 1.15
• Any content area
• Honors 1.15
• Foreign Language
• Regular 1.00
• Content Modified .90

12
How is the cumulative rank point total calculated?

• Semester grades for each rankable course
  multiplied by the appropriate weight factor
  equals the total rank points for each course
• Weighted rank points for each rankable course are
  added together to equal the cumulative rank point
  total
• Cumulative rank point totals are not rounded up

13
Is there a calculation example?
14
How is a students rank position reported?

• Students are listed in rank order (1, 2, 3) by
  their cumulative rank point total
• Rank positions are reported as ___ out of ___
  ( 5 out of 700)
• A students class is determined by the year the
  student enters ninth grade

15
What if two or more students have exactly the
same rank point total?

• Ties are broken by using a secondary indicator
  based on the number of courses taken for which a
  weight of 1.15 and/or 1.29 was given
• The student with the most weighted rankable
  courses (1.15 and1.29 wt. factors) determines the
  higher rank position

16
When is Ranking Provided?

• Beginning May 2007 preliminary unofficial rank
  to be printed on the end-of-year report card -
  tentative rank due to incomplete grades
• Two-Semester Rank Early indicator given in the
  fall after completion of the second semester to
  be used as a planning tool for students and
  parents
• Four-Semester Rank Second early indicator given
  in the fall after completion of the fourth
  semester to be used as a planning tool for
  students and parents

17
When is Ranking Provided? (cont.)

• Official Rank Class Rank given in the fall
  after the completion of the sixth semester to be
  used for college admission printed on the first
  progress report of the year
• Final Rank Class Rank given after completion of
  the seventh semester to be used for college
  admission

18
What is the impact of class rank ?

• Class rank is only one indicator for college
  admissions.
• Other components examined by colleges include
• Grades (College prep courses)
• Admission test scores (ACT, SAT)
• Grades (all classes)
• Financial need
• Other Criteria such as Community service,
  Extracurricular activities, Recommendations,
  Interview, Work, Ability to pay, and Application
  essays

19
Does Class Rank Determine Honor Graduate
Designation?

• Rank is not used to determine honor graduate
  designation
• Overall Weighted Grade Point Average (GPA) for
  all courses taken in high school determines honor
  graduates
• Summa Cum Laude 100 GPA
• Magna Cum Laude 95 99 GPA
• Cum Laude 90 94 GPA

20
Web Site Updates

• Our web page will be kept up-to-date
• With your input we will continue to clarify class
  rank information.
• New or updated information will be posted at
  www.neisd.net/guide/ranking.html

21
Contact Information

• Thank you for your time and attention. Feel free
  to contact your high school counselor for more
  information.
• Churchill 210-442-0800 ext. 228
• ISA 210-442-0404 ext. 359
• Lee 210-442-0300 ext. 262
• MacArthur 210-650-1100 ext. 235
• Madison 210-637-4400 ext. 238
• Reagan 210-482-2200 ext. 251
• Roosevelt 210-650-1200 ext. 234
• DATA 210-650-1200 ext. 256
• ETA 210-650-1200 ext. 232

22
FEEDBACK FORMS

• Please tear off the last page of your
  packetFeedback Form
• Complete this form and place it in one of the
  boxes as you exit the meeting tonight or hand it
  to any of the counselors

23

• QUESTIONS
• ???