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U.S. NEWS Friday 16 June 2017

The end of the valedictorian? Schools rethink class rankings

By CAROLYN THOMPSON for it if available. Even so,
Associated Press students’ individual grades
LANCASTER, N.Y. (AP) — and the rigor of the cur-
At many American high riculum they chose tend to
schools, the graduation- weigh more heavily, said
day tradition of crowning a Melanie Gottlieb, deputy
valedictorian is becoming director of the American
a thing of the past. Association of Collegiate
The ranking of students Registrars and Admissions
from No. 1 on down, based Officers.
on grade-point averages, “More and more schools
has been fading steadily are moving toward a more
for about the past decade. holistic process. They look
In its place are honors that deeper into the transcript,”
recognize everyone who Gottlieb said.
scores at a certain thresh- Wisconsin’s Elmbrook
old — using Latin honors, School District has for sev-
for example. This year, one eral years ranked only the
school in Tennessee had 48 valedictorian and saluta-
valedictorians. torian, and only then be-
About half of schools no In this June 6, 2017 photo, Connor Carrow, 17, left, and Principal Cesar Marchioli pose inside Mar- cause the state awards
longer report class rank, chioli’s office at Lancaster, High School in Lancaster, N.Y., the day after Marchioli gave Carrow a scholarships to schools’ top
leadership award at the senior awards banquet. Carrow has been leading efforts at the school to
according to the National replace the traditional class ranking system with a Latin honors cum laude system that recognizes two graduates, accord-
Association of Secondary all students who achieve a certain academic threshold. The ranking of students from No. 1 on ing to Assistant Superinten-
School Principals. Adminis- down, based on grade point averages, has been fading steadily for about the past decade and dent Dana Monogue. The
trators worry about the col- about half of American schools no longer report class rank. change has been accept-
lege prospects of students (AP Photo/Carolyn Thompson) ed by colleges and com-
separated by large differ- nior Connor Carrow, 17, Elsewhere, commenters dents, and the number of munity alike, Monogue
ences in class rank despite has pressed for the switch have peppered news top students at colleges is said.
small differences in their to Latin honors since his websites with disparag- factored into college rank- “We are encouraged by
GPAs, and view rankings as sophomore year, well be- ing comparisons to giving ings. Class ranks are also any movement that helps
obsolete in an era of high fore landing just out of the “participation trophies” to credited with improving students understand that
expectations for every stu- top 10, at No. 14, while avoid hurt feelings, while diversity at the University of they’re more than a score,
dent, association spokes- serving as student union supporters point out the of- Texas, where a law guaran- that they’re more than a
man Bob Farrace said. president and playing var- ten statistically insignificant teed that a school’s top 10 rank,” she said.Tennessee’s
There are also concerns sity lacrosse and hockey. differences that separate percent would be accept- Rutherford County schools
about intense, potentially He said it’s a better fit with students. ed into a public university. give the valedictorian ti-
unhealthy competition the school’s collaborative Rankings still play an im- Colleges are adjusting to tle to every student who
and students letting wor- and cooperative ideals. portant part in aspects the increasing number of meets requirements that
ries about rank drive their “You’re striving for that of the college admissions applications arriving with- include a 4.0 grade-point
course selections. (honor) personally, but process. There are scholar- out class rank, though average and at least 12
Among those weighing a you’re not hoping that ships for the top-ranked stu- many applications still ask honors courses.q
change is Lancaster High you’re better than these
School in suburban Buf- other 400 people next to
falo, where students are you,” said Carrow.
leading an exploration of The view was somewhat
replacing valedictorian-sa- different from the No. 1
lutatorian recognitions with spot occupied by Car-
the college-style Latin hon- row’s classmate Dan-
ors of summa cum laude, iel Buscaglia, who also
magna cum laude and played saxophone in sev-
cum laude. eral performance ensem-
The principal, Cesar Mar- bles and volunteered in
chioli, said he’s neutral on his town’s youth bureau.
the issue, though he feels While he doesn’t oppose
for the 11th-ranked student the change, Buscaglia
who falls just short of the expects the competition
recognition awarded to in high school, although
the top 10 seniors honored it was mostly friendly, will
at the annual banquet. help him at Cornell Univer-
Graduating Lancaster se- sity in the fall.