School Board Considers Grade Weighting

Once again, the Loudoun County School Board is scheduled to discuss and possibly act on recommendations and objections to “weighting” grades for honors, Academy of Science and dual enrollment classes. LCPS Superintendent Ed Hatrick and LCPS staff outlined suggested changes.

At the School Board’s insistence–and in response to the push from parent advocacy groups including Fairgrade Loudoun and its precursor, FairGrade Fairfax–LCPS recommended going to the 10-point grade as a more equitable grade scale in February 2009.

Loudoun’s move to the 10-point grade scale mirrors an earlier action by Fairfax County Public Schools. Ten point grade scale provides A: 90-100, B: 80-89, C: 70-79, and D: 60-69. Anything below 60 is failing, an F. The new grading scale begins with the 2009-2010 school year.

The school board also voted to give Advanced Placement (AP) courses by an additional weight of 1.0 on students' Grade Point Average, and further requested Supt. Hatrick to provide recommendations regarding weighting of grades in certain classes.

In response to the School Board’s request for recommendation on grade weighting for other classes and courses, a Grade Weighting Study Committee was formed in February that worked through the end of April 2009. The committee gathered and studied information, held discussions, and provided recommendations regarding the weighting of grades in certain courses, ranking, and pass/fail options.

The committee recommendation was against weighting honors, AOS, and dual-enrollment courses. Copies of the Grade Weighting Committee’s report and recommendation are available on the Loudoun County public Schools website www.loudoun.k12.va.us, under board docs for the June 23 school board meeting.

When Supt. Hatrick presented the recommendations in May, some confusion ensued as School Board member Joseph Guzman (Sugarland) argued that the recommendations were not provided as requested. Guzman explained that the board direction was not a question of whether or not to weight grades, but rather that the School Board sought Hatrick’s recommendations for specific grade weights. Thus, the discussion continues.

Despite the difference of opinions among some School Board members, and the confusion between Hatrick and Guzman on the intent of the earlier motion directing the Superintendent to make recommendations, Hatrick continues to support the committee’s recommendation against grade weighting for honors, AOS, dual enrollment courses. He provided school board members with alternative option for dual enrollment courses for the June 23 meeting.

The Weighted Grading Committee originally recommended that dual-enrollment courses not be weighted, based on concerns for equity and access to dual enrollment courses for all students. However, should the board decide to weight dual-enrollment courses, the committee would recommend weighting for dual-enrollment courses with an additional .5 quality points for successful completion of full year courses that earn one or more Carnegie units of credit.

“The committee further asks that the School Board be aware of the issues related to access and equity and support efforts to resolve these issues,” according to the language stated in the alternative.

The committee made these original recommendations regarding grade weighting:

HONORS COURSES should not be weighted, as they currently lack the elements required for this change. For many years, LCPS has encouraged student enrollment in Honors courses to ensure access to

advanced course work and equity for all students. This practice is based on the belief that students who are motivated and willing to do the work can be successful in Honors courses. The committee maintained that weighting Honors could restrict access to courses with high expectations, thus eroding equity to all students.

DUAL-ENROLLMENT classes should not be weighted. No common process exists for developing or approving dual-enrollment courses. Dual-enrollment classes already provide substantial motivation for students by allowing them to earn college credits while still in high school. The committee developed and discussed a proposal which may provide some future guidance if LCPS decides in the future

to weight dual-enrollment courses. Since most courses involve costs, equity for all students would become an additional concern.

ACADEMY OF SCIENCE: If Honors courses are not weighted, Academy of Science (AOS) courses should not be weighted. Student motivation should not rely on weighting courses. All courses at the AOS are considered rigorous and are designed to maintain high expectations for all students attending. This position was fully supported by the AOS faculty.

School Board members were provided with a series of motion options and multiples of motion options by LCPS staff for resolution of the grade-weighting item and those motions include:

Motion 1: To implement no additional weighting for honors classes, AOS classes, or dual-enrollment classes. 

Motion 2:To implement no additional weighting for honors classes and AOS classes; and to weight dual enrollment classes at a .5 additional weight beginning with the 2009-2010 school year for full-year courses that earn one Carnegie Unit of Credit.

Motion 2A: To implement no additional weighting for honors classes and AOS classes; to weight dual enrollment classes at a .5 additional weight beginning with the 2009-2010 school year for full-year courses that earn one Carnegie Unit of Credit and applied retroactively for all dual enrollment classes appearing on students’ transcripts 

Motion 3: To implement no additional weighting for honors classes and AOS classes at this time and direct that additional study be done during the 2009-2010 school year; and to weight dual enrollment classes at a .5 additional weight beginning with the 2009-2010 school year for full-year courses that earn one Carnegie Unit of Credit.

Motion 3A: To implement no additional weighting for honors classes and AOS classes at this time and direct that additional study will be needed during the 2009-2010 school year; and to weight dual enrollment classes at a .5 additional weight beginning with the 2009-2010 school year for full-year courses that earn one Carnegie Unit of Credit and applied retroactively for all dual enrollment classes appearing on students’ transcripts.