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Senate committee considers banning public posting of class ranks before junior year
Summary
Senate Bill 2203 would bar schools from publishing students' class rank publicly before the junior year unless there is a reasonable need, a proposal supporters say would reduce stress and encourage more rigorous course-taking among freshmen and sophomores.
The Senate Committee on Education heard Senate Bill 2203 May 1, which would prohibit high schools from publishing students' specific class ranks until their junior year unless a student has a reasonable need, such as applying for a program or scholarship.
Senator Menendez, the bill's author, said class ranks can become a high-stakes source of stress that shifts student choices toward easier courses. "For some students, the early acknowledgment of their specific class rank influences the courses they decide to take," Menendez said, adding the bill does not eliminate class rank but restricts public sharing earlier in high school.
Members asked whether parents would be able to obtain rank information; Menendez said yes, parents and students can request the information and the bill is aimed at preventing broad publication. Senator Hagemann and others raised concerns that withholding rank until junior year leaves less time for students to change their standing, but Menendez said the bill allows students to request their rank when there is a reasonable need.
The committee recorded no formal votes and left the bill pending subject to the call of the chair.
