Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Academic Records topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
PSD shifts to unweighted cumulative GPA and decile class ranks for Class of 2029
Summary
The board heard an informational report explaining that the district will report cumulative unweighted GPAs and weighted 5.0-scale GPAs for advanced-credit courses and will replace single-number class ranks with decile rankings starting with the class of 2029.
The board received an informational presentation on Aug. 26 about changes to grade-point-average reporting and class rank that will affect students who are now in ninth grade (the graduating class of 2029).
Dr. Julie Chaplin, assistant superintendent, said PSD will record an unweighted cumulative GPA on transcripts for the class of 2029 while also reporting a separate weighted GPA on a 5.0 scale for courses that carry postsecondary credit (AP, IB, concurrent enrollment). "We have removed what was unique to PSD ... the adjusted cumulative p g or GPA that was only used in our district," Chaplin said.
Class rank will move from an exact numeric rank (valedictorian/salutatorian) to a decile system, in which students are reported in top 10%, 20%, 30% brackets (the district does not anticipate reporting beyond the 50% mark). Chaplin and district counselors said the change aims to improve transparency and equity: counselors reported student support for reduced pressure and that outside vendors were being used by some families to chase marginal GPA bumps under the old system.
Chaplin said the district will continue work with counselors and information-technology staff to finalize transcript reporting and to determine whether additional recognitions (for example summa/magna/ cum laude-style distinctions) should be adopted for graduation ceremonies. The presentation emphasized that the changes will be introduced to students and families through counseling conversations and planning guides in the academic year leading up to course selection.
District staff said the changes apply to the current ninth-grade cohort (Class of 2029); students in grades 10-12 were notified that the change does not apply to their records.
