Class (Local) Recommendation June 10,2019 Timeline….. October 2018 - Strategic Plan year one specific result: Establish a system that eliminates class rank and cultivates each student’s unique path January 2019 - Board approved the FISD Strategic Plan February 2019 - Class Rank Research Committee established February - April 2019 - Class Rank Committee meetings and communication of research findings to the community. May 2019 - Committee recommendation to the board addressed through EIC Local draft first reading June 2019 - EIC Local final reading Class Rank Research Committee….. Membership 24 Members - Students, Parents, Teachers, Counselor, Campus and District Administrators. Charge Does class rank help or hinder Friendswood High School students during the college admissions process (students outside the top 10%)? What are the pros and cons of using a numeric class rank system? Primary Work Collect and review literature, research, current practices/policies, other districts practices/policies, state policy, and college admission practices. Summary of Research….. ➔ National Association for College Admissions Counseling reports more than half of all high schools no longer report student rankings. ➔ High schools are choosing to not rank based on the following: ◆ Class rank may not accurately reflect academic achievement ◆ Class rank calculations are arbitrary ◆ Class rank encourages “gaming of the system” ◆ Class rank discourages students from non-weighted, high-interest classes ◆ Class rank has declined in importance as a factor in the college admissions process ◆ There is no standard ranking methodology; every school district uses different rules to determine class rank. Summary of Research Con’t….. ➔ Class rank allows colleges to label a student without looking at a student’s academic achievement record. ➔ Colleges conduct a holistic review of a student’s application when high schools do not provide rank information. A holistic review includes: ◆ Information about the high school provided in a school profile ◆ Performance on college entrance exams ◆ The student’s grade point average (GPA) ◆ Type/rigor of courses taken ◆ Grades received in intended areas of study ◆ Essays and recommendation letters ➔ After eliminating the reporting of class rank, Westlake High School (Eanes ISD) reported a 38% increase in acceptances to University of Texas and 49% increase to Texas A&M. Summary of Research Con’t….. ➔ None of the school districts which have approved eliminating rank outside the Top 10% have switched back to ranking. ➔ Students from high-performing schools who are ranked in class are at a disadvantage when considered against students from other high-performing schools that do not rank (including private schools and >50% of high schools nationwide. ➔ Using Baylor University’s online academic scholarship eligibility calculator, including class rank has no effect or a negative effect on the estimated monies offered. Example: A student entering criteria (GPA, SAT, classes taken, etc) without entering class rank earned up to $8000 more than the same student entering the same criteria along with class rank. Summary of FHS Class of 2019 Ranking…. ➔ Slight changes in grade point averages can cause huge changes in rank. The difference in ranking from rank 30 to rank 100 (70 places) is .07 of a point. The difference in ranking from rank 100 to rank 240 (140 places) is .29 of a point. These examples are based on current senior students at Friendswood High School. Percentile GPA 4pt Rank 6th Percentile Student 4.00 30 20th Percentile Student 3.93 100 48th Percentile Student 3.64 240 Community Survey On a scale of one (no con?dence) to ten (highly con?dent), how well does the research provided give you con?dence to support the elimination of reporting class rank? 478 responses 400 323 300 200 100 34(71?7) 58 11(23Communication of Research and Progress….. ➔ ➔ ➔ ➔ ➔ ➔ ➔ ➔ ➔ ➔ 8th Grade Parent/Student Individual High School Planning Meetings Mustang Voices Superintendent’s Advisory District Advisory Committee Student Advisory Committee Education Foundation Chamber of Commerce Executive Board Campus Faculty Meetings Student Health Advisory Committee Parent/Faculty Skylert Messaging Committee Recommendations….. ➔ The Class Rank Research Committee studied all aspects of class rank and ultimately remain committed to the Strategic Plan year one specific result: Establish a system that eliminates class rank and cultivates each student’s unique path. ➔ The committee believes the research supports the understanding that ranking Friendswood ISD students, outside the top 10%, results in greater harm than benefit to students at all levels of achievement. ➔ For all students, continue to calculate a 4pt, 100pt, and 8pt GPA as per explained in the Friendswood High School Academic Planning Guide and Student Handbook. Committee Recommendation Details….. ➔ Internally, determine the top 10% using the 8pt GPA scale, and report the top 10% to colleges and universities, as per State law. ➔ Provide each student in the top 10% a certificate of class rank containing the student’s numerical rank out of the specific total class size. This certificate will accompany the student’s transcript on college applications. ➔ Communicate the lowest 4pt, 100pt and 8pt GPA of the top 10% per grade level to the entire class at the end of every school year. For students who are interested, this gives those who are outside the top 10% a context in which to judge how close they maybe to the top 10%. Committee Recommendation Details Con’t….. ➔ A student shall be notified of his or her top 10% ranking at the end of his or her freshman year. ➔ Other notification times: ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ The end of the fall semester of the sophomore year; The end of the spring semester of the sophomore year; The end of the fall semester of the junior year; The end of the spring semester of the junior year; The end of the fall semester of the senior year; For graduation purposes, the end of the third nine weeks of the senior year. Final top ten percent shall be determined at the fourth nine weeks of his or her senior year. Shifting Focus from Class Rank….. ➔ Important Factors in a Holistic Review ◆ Individual GPA ◆ Grades ◆ Rigorous Course Selection ◆ Performance on College Entrance Exams (SAT/ACT) ◆ Essays and Recommendation Letters ◆ Extra Curricular and Service Involvement FISD will hold high expectations for all students and will promote the importance of academic excellence for each and every student. Communication of Policy Change….. ➔ Commitment to educate students and parents of policy change ◆ Counselors visiting classrooms ◆ MCS announcements ◆ Naviance messaging ◆ Info shared during course selection time ◆ 8th grade individual high school planning meetings ◆ Frequently Asked Questions on website ◆ Mustang Voices ◆ Open House Updated Proposed Policy Wording….. Class Rank Class rank shall not be calculated or reported except for students in the top ten percent of a given class as required by state law. The District shall provide each student ranked in the top ten percent a certification of class rank containing the student’s numerical rank in class. The District shall not report class rank on the student’s academic transcript. Updated Proposed Policy Wording….. Calculation Period After each calculation period, students in the top ten percent shall be notified of their exact class rank. The lowest weighted grade point average (GPA) used to determine class rank earned by a student currently in the top ten percent of the class shall be communicated to all students in the class after each calculation period. The calculation shall include failing grades. (New in the policy, however has been our practice.) Updated Proposed Policy Wording….. Exclusions The calculation of class rank shall exclude grades earned in any distance learning course, summer school, any credit recovery course, any DAEP independent study course, any local credit course, any course for which a pass/fail grade is assigned, or through credit by examination, with or without prior instruction. (New in the policy, however has been our practice.) Updated Proposed Policy Wording….. Breaking Ties If the tie is not broken after applying this method, the District shall recognize all student involved in the tie as sharing the honor and title. Highest-Ranking Graduate The local eligibility criteria for recognition as the valedictorian shall not affect recognition of the highest-ranking graduate for purposes of receiving the honor graduate certificate from the state of Texas. The District shall calculate class rank for this purpose at the end of the school year. FISD Call to Action Through authentic experiences and relationships, FISD will graduate confident learners equipped with the knowledge, skills, and character to thrive in and contribute to a global society.