Should Loudoun Change The Grading Scale for Schools?

Interesting article in the Loudoun Times. I agree that this should be uniform and Loudoun should not be an outlier.

Parents fight to change schools' grading scale
Local
By Elizabeth Coe
Source: Loudoun Times-Mirror
TUESDAY, JUNE 10 2008
UPDATED WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11 2008

As getting accepted into college becomes increasingly difficult, high school students are facing more pressure than ever before.

That's why three mothers from the Potomac Falls High School district are fighting to change Loudoun's seven-point grading scale, which they say puts county students at a disadvantage.

"Our students need their grading scale to be the standardized 10-point scale so they can compete with students around the country," said Nancy Lasik, president of the Potomac Falls PTSO.

In Loudoun County, grades are separated by seven points. A score from 93 to 100 is considered an A. But in nearby counties like Arlington, which operates on a 10-point scale, a 90 to 100 is an A.

This difference is also evident when calculating grade point averages. In Loudoun, a student would earn 3.3 grade points for a score of 92 percent on a test, which is a B+. In jurisdictions with a 10-point scale, the student would earn a 4.0 for a 92, and receive an A.

"I've had two students go through the [college] admissions process, and I had a gut feeling all along my kids were getting shorted," said Michele Zuckerman, one of the parents spearheading the 10-point campaign. "GPAs should work for them, not against them."

Inspired by FAIRGRADE, an organization created by parents in Fairfax County fighting for a 10-point grading scale there, Lasik, Zuckerman and Kathy Lague are collecting signatures and reaching out to educate other parents as well.

According to FAIRGRADE, there are hundreds of grading scales used in the United States, but the 10-point scale is the most common.

At a presentation June 4 at Potomac Falls High School, about 80 residents from around the county showed up to learn more.

The three mothers presented information comparing grading scales, which showed how much higher a student's grades and GPA could be using a 10-point scale.

Some school districts also reward 1 additional point for advanced placement classes and 0.5 for honors classes, so a student earning an 85 percent in an AP class would receive a 4.0 instead of a 3.0 for a B grade.

In Loudoun, 0.7 is added for AP classes, and there is no point reward for taking honors classes. Thus, a Loudoun student earning an 85 in an AP class would receive 3.7 grade points.

That is something else that should change, the moms argue.

All of this is important because it can hurt Loudoun students' chances of being accepted into colleges and merit-based scholarship programs, and even receiving discounts on car insurance, supporters of the 10-point scale said.

But officials with the Loudoun County School System don't agree.

"I don't see a problem with grading," said School Board member Tom C. Marshall (Leesburg). "Colleges look at GPAs and look at schools. They know where the curriculum is demanding."

School Board member J. Warren Geurin (Sterling) said he has heard the 10-point argument before, but he is not convinced Loudoun students are currently at any disadvantage.

Geurin said schools officials meet regularly with college admissions directors, as do high school guidance counselors.

"We're well known for having a very rigorous high school curriculum," he said. "If our AP scores are low but the grades are high, that raises questions about validity. I don't think there would be strong support on the board to go to a 10-point scale."

Loudoun's current grading system was established in 2002 when a committee recommended the county drop minuses from grades and a few other minor changes, said Anne Lewis, director of student services.

The scale is not examined on a routine basis, she said, but the school system does try to be responsive to parents.

Lewis said as far as she knows, Loudoun has never used a 10-point grading scale.

Barmak Nassirian, spokesman for the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, said when it comes to being accepted into college, one grading scale is not superior to any other.

"In general, it tends not to be a problem," he said. "The admissions office knows what it is doing. When a transcript goes into an admissions office, the officer can interpret it."

Nassirian said parents should take comfort in the fact that admissions officers know the high schools and their grading practices, which are generally printed on the back of high school transcripts.

Despite that, Loudoun parents say they will try to at least get the attention of the School Board by collecting thousands of signatures.

"Loudoun school officials say our grading scale is known and taken into account, but our kids still must meet minimum GPA requirements," Lasik said. "It's harder for them."

Contact the reporter at ecoe@timespapers

 

Did anyone go to high school in Fairfax County in the early 80's? I remember this exact same argument back then when the students from Fairfax were not getting into UVA and Tech as easily as other students from across the state. We used to joke that if we just lived in Loudoun we would have no problem getting into those schools!

 

I had a 10 point scale in the late 70's and early 80's. big diff was the school in Illinios had and still does 2nd year langauge and beyond as total immersion. That kind of attention is what raises standards, for example. I know many parents whose kids here took 4-6 years of a language and when they stop taking the class they lose it. Even worse, when they go visit the country where the langauge is spoken, they can't speak conversationally!!!

 

I went to school in FFX and it was 94-100 for an A. Sigh. Kids have it so easy these days! =)

 

yeah, well here it is 96-100 is an A.

 

so wouldn't those that can pull the 4.0's actually have higher rankings with college since the point system is more demanding.

If I was a B student, I would push hard for the rule change though

 

actually, with this grading scale , kids are graduating with 4.3, etc...due to the weighting of AP classes

 

I remember that, but I also remember many of my classmates getting into UVA, VT and W&M.

 

Yes, Alas that is passing this area by now. All the college admission staff know the opportunities our kids have in NOVA and especially TJ, Fairfax and Loudoun Counties. Thus it is harder than ever for any of our kids to get into those schools. UVA is trying to be the IVY of VA now, rather than the state school it is. Why is this the case? because our kids who do everything and have smashing great grades do not add diversity to the campus, so better if we pull someone from a county say in Southern VA, where the scale is different as is everything else. Big article in the Post about this very issue this past spring.

 

But doesn't a state school have to pull their students from all over the state and not just NOVA? I thought because they were state schools that they couldn't get all their students from the most populated counties but they had to have representation from the whole state. As our old college counselor used to say (meaning about 25 years ago--this is an OLD issue) "It's not called the University of Northern Virginia for a reason".

 

Sure they do, but I don't know if they have it based on percentage. NOVA parents have for years tried to get there kids into anything that would help beef up their application aside from grades and it is beginning to backfire as it has produced kids who basically all do the same thing. My Cousin is Associate Director of Admissions & Transfer Student Coordinator for Gettysburg College, so I've just emailed her for some insight from her perspective on this very issue. Stay Tuned!

 

Ok here is what she had to say:

I wish I had some super insightful answer to your question, but the honest answer is that it’s just gotten more competitive to get into college and students, in a frenzy, are applying to more colleges (often only applying to more “reach” schools rather than adding more “safety” ones). And even as more students are taking AP classes, there are always the students at the top who have done the best. So yes, more students are taking AP’s, but that just means that there is a broader range of students in the applicant pools.

I’m sure that all of the great colleges in VA have seen increased application numbers from in-state and also out-of-state, so if students from the best No VA high schools aren’t all getting into UVA, etc., that has less to do with those students (and their backgrounds) and more to do with crazy numbers at colleges throughout the country. I bet if you talked to some of the counselors at the best public and private schools outside of VA who typically have large applicant groups to those colleges (I know my own high school always had a bunch of kids applying to W and M, UVA, and the like) that they have seen the bar raised even more and may have to had to adjust who they are encouraging to apply there.

The bad news- it’s tougher to get in. The good news- there are A LOT of great colleges out there who will accept those students. And even colleges which may be just slightly below them in the rankings will provide a superb education (and dare I say, may sometimes be a better fit).

Part of me wishes that the media would follow the good stories- there are students getting into great colleges and being successful, and students going to very good colleges and doing just as great, if not better. As more students apply to more colleges, they naturally are going to apply to “reach” colleges where they might get in… thus more waiting list offers/more denials…. Thus more media frenzy… thus more applications…. And the cycle continues.

 

If I remember correctly the state schools have to pull 80% of their students from that state and it seems it would make sense that they would have some sort of formula/guidelines to inlcude students from all over Virginia. I used to be a Dean of Students in my former life (before I had children) at a couple of different high schools but that was a long time ago and my info could be off . . .

 

We were told by some colleges in VA that they know about Loudoun's grading policy and they have a formula to make things even and they also throw out the percentages added in for things like AP etc. so they look at all kids based on a 4.0 and not higher.