New Texas law regarding calculating GPA causing confusion
According to the Star-Telegram, a recently enacted Texas law might require school districts to change the way they calculate grade point averages (GPA) this fall, bumping some students out of the top 10% percent of their class and taking away automatic admission into public universities. In addition, scholarship money could be at stake. However, it is more likely districts will get a reprieve because of uncertainty about the new law. That law, adopted last year by the Texas legislature, requires the state Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) to devise a uniform method for tabulating the averages to standardize college admissions, but HECB has not done so. Confusion over the law’s wording led HECB to request a clarification from the Texas attorney general. The board also sees conflicts with other laws and possibly the state constitution. HECB’s letter points out that it is unclear whether high schools would have to use the method, or whether universities would recalculate the averages themselves. It also states: “The changes conflict with a 2005 law that authorized, but did not require, the Texas education commissioner to establish a uniform system for grade-point averages.” The law requires HECB to adopt a grade-point average method based on a four-point scale, which should give extra weight for honors, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or dual-credit courses “as [HECB] considers appropriate.” However, it is not clear how much weight would be given to each type of class, and whether all would be given additional weight. According to Jackie Lain, associate executive director for governmental relations at the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), school districts are in favor of a uniform GPA but are skeptical about how it will be applied. “In general they support a uniform GPA, as long as it’s similar to the one they’ve already created,” Ms. Lain said. “Grades are political, and they’ve already gone through this fight.” School officials are also concerned that the new system could discourage students from challenging themselves, if some harder courses end up not being weighted. “Which electives will it give credit for?” Ms. Lain asked. “There are some innovative classes districts have been offering and they want to give weighted credit for. What about fine arts?” She also said it could be counterproductive if the new system doesn’t weight pre-Advanced Placement courses and the like.
Source: Star-Telegram, 7/5/08, By Mark Agee