GPA and High School Ranking

1
GPA and High School Ranking

• Lovejoy ISD Advisory Group
• Dennis Muizers
• November 15, 2005

2
Purpose of Advisory Group

• Volunteer to study and provide input on critical
  topics
• To create mechanisms to seek more input when
  necessary
• To provide input to LISD administrators prior to
  Board recommendation(s)

3
Advisory Group Norms

• Be open to new ideas
• Be respectful--even when we disagree
• Respect speakers who have the floor
• Study topic(s)
• Actively participate
• No side conversations that may prohibit the
  ability of audience to hear

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Top 10 Law

• Currently, students who graduate in Texas in the
  top 10 of his/her class receive automatic
  admission into any state, public university.
• What are the realities and impact of the top 10
  law for Lovejoy ISD?
• Approximately 20 students will be granted
  automatic admission to any public university in
  Texas.

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Beyond Rank

• National Association for College Admission
  Counseling, Factors in the Admission Decision
  2004 Summary
• Of the 94 of schools that calculate GPA, 69
  weight GPAs to account for advanced level
  courses.
• Schools with small enrollments (especially with
  fewer than 500 students) whether public or
  private, are significantly less like to weight
  GPA.
• Information on blue pages in folder

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Beyond Rank

• Strength of academic preparation including the
  number courses taken and their difficulty (AP,
  Honors, etc.)
• SAT or ACT
• Achievements/honors/awards
• Application essay(s)
• Interview
• Counselor and Teacher Recommendations
• Work/extra-curricular activities
• More selective schools require SAT II (subject
  specific tests)
• AP test scores
• Performance level of applicants school
• Socioeconomic background of the student
• Commitment to a particular field of study

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GPA and Class Rank

• There are a variety of methods for ranking
  students. Weighting courses and not weighting
  others is typical in high schools.
• The courses included in the calculation of GPA
  are important and should be driven by what we
  want for graduatesin Lovejoy, the Graduate
  Profile.
• The courses not included in the calculation of
  GPA are important and should not allow students
  to have loop holes in order to maximize ranking.

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Lovejoy Graduate Profile

• Intellectually Equipped
• Open to the Challenges of Learning
• Well Rounded
• Fair and Respectful
• Working for Justice in the Community

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Sample Policies

• In groups, review the assigned policy.
• Considering the Graduate Profile, please discuss
  the potential pros and cons of the policy. (Light
  green sheet provides a template)
• Group speaker should report out the thinking of
  the group.

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Traditional vs. Non-Traditional

• Traditional
• Allen ISD
• Every point matters
• 100 in an AP course is worth 5.0, 99 is worth
  4.95, etc.
• 100 in a Pre-AP course is worth 4.50, 99 is worth
  4.45, etc.
• 100 in a Regular course is worth 4.0, 99 is
  worth 3.95, etc.
• Valedictorian and Salutatorian speak at
  graduation.

• Non-Traditional
• Hockaday and St. Marks
• Courses for Graduation
• No additional GPA weight given for AP courses.
• No ranking of students for graduation.
• Students select the student(s) who will speak at
  graduation.

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Hybrid Policy

• Highland Park
• Advanced courses are weighted.
• There is a range of grades that equal the same
  GPA scorenot every point matters.
• Students are still ranked and a valedictorian and
  salutatorian are chosen. Only students who have
  been enrolled for 2 years at the school are
  eligible to be the valedictorian and
  salutatorian.

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Weighted Courses

• Weighting courses is typically done to provide
  an incentive to students to take challenging
  courses.
• Advanced Placement
• Pre-Advanced Placement
• Gifted and Talented
• Others to consider
• Senior Project

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Courses Excluded from GPA

• Surrounding districts do not include
• Off campus PE
• Correspondence courses or web-based courses
• Courses taken in summer school
• High school courses taken in middle school
• College dual credit and concurrent enrollment
  courses
• Library aide
• Study hall

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Closure

• Please leave the light green sheet so that the
  thinking of the group can be recorded
• Next meeting date and time?
• LISD Ranking Philosophy

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Ranking Philosophy

• The Graduate Profile needs to drive our policy
  decisions
• AP courses should be weighted
• Pre-AP courses should not be weighted because it
  is the default curriculum in grades 6-10
• We want to eliminate GPA calculation loop holes
  by determining which courses, if any, are not
  included in the GPA calculation
• Students should have incentives to meet the
  admissions criteria for the university of his/her
  choice and not rely on the top 10 law

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GPA and High School Ranking

• Lovejoy ISD Advisory Group
• Dennis Muizers
• November 15, 2005