Lakeland amends dual-enrollment, grading and class-rank policies

The Lakeland School System Board of Education approved a package of amendments to academic policies that clarify how dual-enrollment courses, grading, honor distinctions and class rank are handled.

Doctor Horrell told the board the changes are intended to match the district’s policy language with classroom practice. The board amended Policy 4.205 to state that “a dual enrollment course earning 3 or more college credit hours shall count for 1 high school credit” for graduation requirements. The board amended Policy 4.6 (grading) to use the same language and to clarify that “grades earned in semester dual enrollment courses shall be calculated as semester courses” for GPA and rank calculations.

The board also amended Policy 4.602 (formerly honor roll awards and class ranking) to rename it "academic distinctions" and to stop publishing class ranks; Doctor Horrell and members said class ranks will still be made available if individual students request them. The policy changes are intended to remove ambiguity about how dual-enrollment credits are counted for graduation versus how they are treated for weighting and GPA.

Separately, the board amended Policy 4.605 to add a narrowly defined early-graduation pathway: under the change, a student who meets specified criteria may graduate no earlier than the end of the first semester of the fourth year of high school; students who leave before the second semester would be considered finished as a student (they may walk in the May graduation ceremony but would not continue participating in sports or other campus activities). Board members said the changes largely codify existing practice with clarifying language, and the amended policies passed by voice vote.