Academic Achievement Class Ranking

Consistent Application for Graduating Class

The District shall apply the same rules for class rank calculation and local graduation honors to all students in a graduating class, regardless of the school year in which a student entered grade 9 or the graduation program under which the student completes the requirements for graduation.

Grade 9 in the 2017–18 School Year and after EIC (Local)

Application of the following provisions began with students who entered grade 9 in the 2017–18 school year.

Calculation

The District shall include in the calculation of class rank grades earned in all high school credit courses regardless of when the credit was earned in the following subjects: English, mathematics, science, social studies, languages other than English, any AP course not associated with these subjects, and approved dual credit courses.

Exclusions

The calculation of class rank shall exclude grades earned in or by a local credit course; a course for which a pass/fail grade is assigned; and credit by examination, with or without prior instruction.

In addition, the calculation of class rank shall exclude grades earned through distance learning and in dual credit courses taken through a college with which the District does not have a partnership agreement.

Weighted Grade System Categories

The District shall categorize and weight eligible courses as AP courses, Pre-AP and Dual Credit courses, and Regular courses in accordance with provisions of this policy.

AP Courses

Eligible AP courses designated in the course catalog shall be categorized and weighted as AP courses.

Pre-AP and Dual Credit

Eligible Pre-AP and dual credit courses designated in the course catalog shall be categorized and weighted as Pre-AP and Dual Credit courses.

Regular Courses

All other eligible courses shall be designated as Regular courses.

Weighted Numerical Grade Average

In accordance with the following scale, the District shall assign weights to grades earned in eligible courses and shall calculate a weighted numerical grade average per semester if the grade earned is 70 or above:

AP Courses - Plus 20
AP Foreign Language and AP Fine Arts Courses - Plus 10
Pre-AP and Dual Credit Courses - Plus 10
Regular Courses - Plus zero

The District shall record unweighted numerical grades on student transcripts.

Early Graduates

A student who completes all coursework for graduation in fewer than four years shall have his or her class rank calculated using the weighted grade system of the graduating class, and the student shall be ranked with the class in the school year in which he or she graduates.

Transferred Grades

When a student transfers grades for properly documented and eligible courses, the District shall assign weight to those grades based on the categories and grade weight system used by the District if similar or equivalent courses are offered to the same class of students in the District.

Local Graduation Honors

For the purpose of determining honors to be conferred during graduation activities, the District shall calculate class rank using grades available at the time of calculation at the end of the third nine-week grading period of the senior year. The grade for the third nine-week grading period shall be used as the semester grade for this purpose.

For the purpose of applications to institutions of higher education, the District shall also calculate class rank as required by state law. The District’s eligibility criteria for local graduation honors shall apply only for local recognitions and shall not restrict class rank for the purpose of automatic admission under state law. [See EIC(LEGAL)]

Valedictorian and Salutatorian

The valedictorian and salutatorian shall be the eligible students with the highest and second-highest rank, respectively. To be eligible for such recognition, a student must:

1. Have been continuously enrolled in the same high school in the District for the two academic school years immediately preceding graduation;
2. Have completed the distinguished level of achievement under the foundation program for graduation; and
3. Be graduating after exactly four years of enrollment in high school.

Breaking Ties

In case of a tie in weighted numerical grade averages, the District shall compute the weighted numerical grade average to a sufficient number of decimal places until the tie is broken to determine recognition as valedictorian or salutatorian.

If the tie is still not broken, the District shall recognize all students involved in the tie as sharing the honor and title.

Honor Graduates

The District shall recognize with white cords each student in the top five percent of the graduating class, including the valedictorian and the salutatorian. To be recognized as a top-five percent graduate, a student shall be graduating after exactly eight semesters of enrollment in high school.

The District shall recognize with gold cords each student who has completed the distinguished level of achievement under the foundation program with a cumulative weighted numerical grade average no lower than 90.

Highest-Ranking Graduate

The student meeting the local eligibility criteria for recognition as the valedictorian shall also be considered the highest-ranking graduate for purposes of receiving the scholarship certificate from the state of Texas.

THE EAGLE PASS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND SERVICES WHICH DO NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF AGE, NATIONAL ORIGIN, RACE, GENDER, COLOR, RELIGION, DISABILITY OR AGAINST ANY OTHER LEGALLY PROTECTED GROUP. COMPLAINTS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE DISTRICT’S DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES AT (830) 773-5181 EXT. 1092.

EL DISTRITO ESCOLAR DE EAGLE PASS DA IGUALDAD DE OPORTUNIDAD Y PROVEE PROGRAMAS EDUCACIONALES Y SERVICIOS QUE NO DESCRIMINAN EN BASE A EDAD, ORIGEN, NACIONAL, RAZA, GENERO, COLOR, RELIGION, DESCAPACIDAD, O CONTRA NINGUN GRUPO PROTEGIDO POR LEY. EN CASO DE QUEJAS, DIRIJASE AL DEPARTAMENTO DE RECURSOS HUMANOS AL TELEFONO (830) 773-5181, EXT. 1092.

Revised: March 1, 2022

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