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Committee recommends restoring valedictorian and salutatorian, recommends applying to class of 2029
Summary
A committee representing administrators, teachers, parents and students recommended reimplementing valedictorian and salutatorian recognitions beginning with the class of 2029, citing fairness concerns tied to weighted AP and dual-enrollment courses and recommending policy review before implementation.
A committee convened by Pulaski County Public Schools recommended that the district reinstate valedictorian and salutatorian recognitions beginning with the class of 2029, the group told the School Board.
The committee — which members said included school-division representatives, administrators, parents and teachers — reviewed survey data from spring 2024 and spring 2025, consulted comparisons with nearby divisions, and considered which incoming cohorts would be appropriate to launch the recognition. "The majority of the committee self-compelled to support" reimplementation and recommended that the class of 2029 (current eighth-graders) be the first cohort subject to the restored recognition, a committee member told the board.
Committee members cited concerns that launching the recognition with students already taking advanced or dual-enrollment coursework could create uneven advantages. "The vast majority of our eighth graders have not yet built that GPA. And so this would give us plenty of opportunity to inform them about the change before we did reimplement such a recognition," the committee member said. The presentation noted that weighted courses (AP and dual enrollment) have the largest impact on GPA and that many such courses begin in the sophomore year.
The committee outlined next steps: review or rewrite policies affecting GPA (including which courses count toward the high-school GPA and how transfer or summer credit is treated), define eligibility rules for transfer students, develop a communication plan for families and students, and produce an implementation calendar with timelines and deadlines. The committee suggested adequate lead time would allow students and families to plan for additional weighted coursework or programs (for example, Governor's School or dual-enrollment pathways) that affect GPA calculations.
Board members asked whether existing recognitions would remain. Committee members said current awards and recognitions (including local honor distinctions) would continue alongside the valedictorian/salutatorian recognitions. Concerns raised during discussion included the potential impact on course enrollments, counseling and scheduling; staff said counseling and scheduling teams would need to plan adjustments to manage any shifts.
The board did not take a formal vote to adopt policy at the meeting; committee members asked the board to allow policy review and to return with a final policy and implementation timeline. The committee recommended launching with the class of 2029 to avoid disrupting students already advanced in weighted coursework.
