ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT:
CLASS RANKING

EIC
(LOCAL)

RANK IN CLASS - STUDENTS ENTERING GRADE 9 PRIOR TO 2004-05 SCHOOL YEAR Official class standing reports shall be issued to students following the sixth and seventh semesters of high school. This rank-in-class report designates students within a range of their high school class, as follows:
    Top five percent

    Top ten percent

    Top quarter

    Second quarter

    Third quarter

    Fourth quarter

Rank is based on the students' cumulative grade average, which is derived through a conversion system using weighted rank point values for semester grades. The District shall adhere to the rules set by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for reporting to colleges the actual numerical standing of the top ten percent of graduates.

RANK IN CLASS - STUDENTS ENTERING GRADE 9 BEGINNING 2004-05 SCHOOL YEAR Official class standing reports shall be issued to students following the second, fourth, sixth, and seventh semesters of high school. Class rank is determined using a weighted system that supports academic achievement and rigor. Core academic, foreign language, all Pre-AP and AP courses are considered in determining class rank.
This rank-in-class report designates students within a range of their high school class, as follows:
    Top five percent

    Top ten percent

    Top quarter

    Second quarter

    Third quarter

    Fourth quarter

The report also designates the position of each student relative to other students in the graduating class. The position or rank is reported as "number (____) out of (____) students in graduating class." Example: Student A is ranked number 5 in a class of 545.
HONOR GRADUATES STUDENTS ENTERING GRADE 9 PRIOR TO 2004-05 SCHOOL YEAR Students achieving high standards of academic excellence shall be recognized at the graduation ceremony as honor graduates listed alphabetically in each of the following categories:

Honor Graduate Designations Cumulative Grade Average

Summa Cum Laude 100

Magna Cum Laude 95-99

Cum Laude 90-94
                               Students achieving a 100 cumulative grade average shall be considered by the school's scholarship committee for awarding designated top-ranking scholarships. If no student achieves a 100 cumulative grade average, the next highest cumulative grade average will be considered for these scholarships.
HONOR GRADUATES -STUDENTS ENTERING GRADE 9 BEGINNING 2004-05 SCHOOL YEAR Students achieving high standards of academic excellence shall be recognized at the graduation ceremony as honor graduates based on the following criteria:
  1. Completion of the Recommended or Distinguished Achievement Graduation Plan.
  2. Accumulation of a minimum of 48 semester classes of coursework.
  3. Overall weighted average greater than or equal to 90.
Honor graduates meeting the criteria specified above shall be designated as follows:

Honor Graduate Designations Overall Weighted Average

Summa Cum Laude 100+

Magna Cum Laude 95-99

Cum Laude 90-94
TOP TEN PERCENT Students who rank within the top ten percent may be eligible for automatic admission to a Texas public college or university. The District shall adhere to the rules set by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for reporting the exact numerical standing of the top ten percent.
EARLY GRADUATES A student who completes high school requirements in fewer than four years shall be ranked in the class with which he or she entered in the ninth grade and shall be eligible for honor graduate status. Three-year graduates shall not be eligible for the top-ranking graduate scholarship. A specific scholarship is offered through the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for three-year graduates to attend Texas public colleges or universities.
CLASS RANK CALCULATION - STUDENTS ENTERING GRADE 9 PRIOR TO 2004-05 SCHOOL YEAR Following the sixth and seventh semesters, students are ranked within the class based on their cumulative grade average. All semester grades are converted to a weighted rank point value system that recognizes differences in levels of difficulty between Advanced (Honors/Pre-AP/Advanced Placement/Gifted-Talented), Regular, and Modified (Content Modification) courses. Courses modified as to methodology shall earn the same number of grade points assigned to regular courses.
CLASS RANK CALCULATION - STUDENTS ENTERING GRADE 9 BEGINNING 2004-05 SCHOOL YEAR Following the second, fourth, sixth, and seventh semesters, students are ranked within the class based on their cumulative rank points. All ranked courses (core academic courses, foreign language, all Pre-AP and AP) earned during the regular academic school year earn rank points. Rank points are determined by multiplying each semester of a ranked course by a rank factor, which recognizes differences in levels of difficulty between Advanced Placement, Pre-Advanced Placement, Regular, and Content Modified coursework. Courses modified as to methodology shall utilize the same rank factor assigned to regular courses.

Course Level Rank Factor

Advanced Placement 1.29

Pre-Advanced Placement, Honors 1.15

Regular 1.00

Content Modified .90

Example:

English 1 Pre-AP

Semester 1 - Grade 95 Semester 2 - Grade 98

95 x 1.15 = 109.25 rank points 98 x 1.15 = 112.7 rank points




Cumulative Rank Points

109.25 + 112.7 = 221.95
The total number of rank points are referred to as cumulative rank points. The cumulative rank points determine the rank in class. The student earning the highest number of cumulative rank points is ranked number one and all others take the following positions in increasing numeric order and decreasing cumulative rank points. Ties in rank points will be broken using the most courses taken given a weight of 1.2 and/or 1.4.
EXCEPTIONS - STUDENTS ENTERING GRADE 9 PRIOR TO 2004-05 SCHOOL YEAR
Courses taken one or more times, summer school, night school, and local credit courses are counted. All courses are included except second semester courses in the final year, pass/fail courses, high school credit earned in middle school, correspondence courses, credit by examination, summer foreign study programs, or grades exempted by an ARD committee.
EXCEPTIONS - STUDENTS ENTERING GRADE 9 BEGINNING 2004-05 SCHOOL YEAR
Only core academic, foreign language, Pre-AP and AP courses are included except those courses taken in the second semester of the final year, any courses taken outside the school day including but not limited to those taken during summer school, during evening/night school, courses taken more than once in high school, courses in which credit is not earned, pass/fail courses, high school credit earned in middle school, correspondence courses, credit by examination, summer foreign study programs, or grades exempted by an ARD committee.
TRANSFER GRADES In the case of a transfer student, grades accepted shall be based on the intent of the sending school. If the transfer grade from an accredited school has been designated as an honors course on the transcript, the grade shall be awarded honors rank points as long as the same course is offered at an honors level within the District. Numerical grades earned from an accredited school shall be accepted. Alpha grades shall be recorded as follows:

CONVERSION SCALE

A 95

B 85

C 77

D 72

F 65
RANK POINT VALUES - STUDENTS ENTERING GRADE 9 PRIOR TO 2004-05 SCHOOL YEAR Numerical semester grades are converted to weighted rank point values. The rank point average is truncated to one decimal place. The rank point average is converted on the regular grading scale to determine the cumulative grade average. The cumulative grade average is reported on a scale of 100 to 70.

WEIGHTED RANK POINT VALUES FOR STUDENTS ENTERING GRADE 9 PRIOR TO 2004-05 SCHOOL YEAR

Grade Advanced Regular Modified

100 7.5 6.5 4.5

99 7.4 6.4 4.4

98 7.3 6.3 4.3

97 7.2 6.2 4.2

96 7.1 6.1 4.1

95 7.0 6.0 4.0

94 6.9 5.9 3.9

93 6.8 5.8 3.8

92 6.7 5.7 3.7

91 6.6 5.6 3.6

90 6.5 5.5 3.5

89 6.4 5.4 3.4

88 6.3 5.3 3.3

87 6.2 5.2 3.2

86 6.1 5.1 3.1

85 6.0 5.0 3.0

84 5.9 4.9 2.9

83 5.8 4.8 2.8

82 5.7 4.7 2.7

81 5.6 4.6 2.6

80 5.5 4.5 2.5

79 5.4 4.4 2.4

78 5.3 4.3 2.3

77 5.2 4.2 2.2

76 5.1 4.1 2.1

75 5.0 4.0 2.0

74 4.9 3.9 1.9

73 4.8 3.8 1.8

72 4.7 3.7 1.7

71 4.6 3.6 1.6

70 4.5 3.5 1.5

DATE ISSUED: 08/14/2006
LDU-33-06
EIC(LOCAL)-X