CUSD to vote on Retroactive Grade Pump for 804 Students

Agenda Item #13 RETROACTIVE GRADE WEIGHTING FOR ACCELERATED VERSIONS OF WORLD HISTORY, BIOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY
Board Agenda page 389

Board Audio:

More Information:

In 2015 a total of 804 students enrolled in, and took an accelerated version of Biology, Chemistry and World History as freshmen under the impression that these classes would provide them with a 1 point bump in their GPA.

The courses were:

• ATMS Biology
• ATMS Chemistry
• World Hist/Geo/Cultures Accelerated
• IDEA Biology
• IDEA Chemistry
• IDEA World History/Geology/Cultures

A bump in GPA would have increased each students over all GPA which would have provided them with greater college admission opportunities and increased their ability to compete for college scholarships.
In order for the UC and CSU system to recognize a class as an "Honors" class worthy of a grade bump for admission into a UC or CSU, the class must be submitted to UC Doorways for approval.

In 2015 CUSD submitted these classes to UC Doorways so that students taking these classes would receive the grade bump they were entitled.

Unfortunately, the UC and CSU systems do not recognize "Honors" or "Accelerated" classes taken by Freshmen students when calculating GPA for admissions. So even though these 804 students did the work, they did not receive a bump in GPA for admissions into the UC or CSU.

Local school districts can set Board Policy that would provide a bump in GPA for any student who takes an Honors Class as a Freshman which many colleges and universities will recognize. As such, it is important for CUSD to provide all students who took these classes with a bump in GPA.

CUSD required the freshmen students who took these classes in 9th grade to meet certain academic criteria set by CUSD. Freshman taking these classes were CUSDs' highest achieving students (GATE identified and/or on an accelerated path). In 2015 when CUSD submitted these classes to UC doorways for approval they failed to set Board policy that would recognize a CUSD bump in GPA to freshmen taking these classes. Those students who took these classes as a 9th grader did not receive the appropriate GPA bump.

This Item seeks to cure that issue and give these 804 students (now seniors) the bump in GPA they are entitled to.

CUSDWatch: Attention CUSD Students who took Honors Classes during the 2015-16 School Year: Check Your Transcripts!

CUSDWatch: Lack of Honors Classes Puts CUSD Students at a Disadvantage for College Admission