Petition to retroactively resinstate Honors Course grade-weights

In February 2016, three out of five Laguna Beach Unified School Board Members chose to eliminate Honors Course grade bumps, with few courses remaining intact. The presentation given at that school board meeting as to why LBUSD should take away Honors Course grade-weighting or “bumps” was summarized as a wish to align with UC grade weighting ideals.

Parents, concerned for our children’s futures and opportunities for scholarship, admission, and motivation, are requesting that the school board reverse this policy, reinstate all Honors Course grade-weighting, and apply this retroactively - regardless of what UC weights or does not weight. Fundamental items seem to have been overlooked in the board’s final decision making process.

Scholarship: The Academic Task Force did not take into account the relationship between weighted grades and merit scholarship. Many private colleges and out of state colleges seek to boost their own school’s overall GPA rating and offer merit scholarships based on incoming students’ higher GPAs.

Lack of community outreach: Taking away the incentive and reward from students who take Honors Courses should be well publicized and the research well executed. This was not the case. Many people didn’t even know it was happening. In fact, in that same meeting the board also took away the advanced math pathway classes that had been offered at the middle school. The advanced math program has since been reinstated, but only after a group of parents took the board to task for taking away opportunity from students to excel.

Lack of sufficient data: Where are the facts about how this will affect overall GPA, or influence students’ risk assessment to take more challenging classes? The powerpoint presentation delivered few facts or supporting evidence to illustrate how taking away the grade bump would reap positive results.

Alignment with UC Policy: Many students from LBHS don’t go to UC schools, so why the push to align with these schools? UCs are some of the most difficult colleges to get into and students are finding options out of state and at private colleges in-state.

Competition: Currently, the Honors Course grade-weighting policy is fully intact for neighboring school districts such as Capistrano Valley, Saddleback, Irvine, and others, putting our students at a further, competitive disadvantage.

Parent pressure: The argument that parents force their kids to take weighted classes is weak at best. Most students choose to take these rigorous courses on their own, knowing that if they put in the extra effort they will be rewarded in their overall GPA. Why take away their pursuit for excellence?

Lastly, there is a prevailing thought expressed by some school board member(s) and teachers that students are gaming the valedictorian spot by taking all Honors and AP courses. Those students who attempt this challenge usually do so at their own risk for their own reasons. But, if we really want to worry about kids taking Honors Courses with the intent to grade-pad, and not realize their full potential by taking non Honors or AP courses, then do away with class ranking altogether. Instead of a number 1, make it the 4.3-4.5 GPA-and-above achievers who receive recognition at graduation.

We all want to promote excellence in our district. The Class of 2020 is the first group that will graduate without the advantage of having all Honors Courses grade-weighted. The board’s policy decision to take away grade advantage will no doubt be under scrutiny.

Note: We have publicly asked that the school board add this item to the upcoming April 23 meeting agenda. Although not assured that this will occur, we ask that parents who are interested attend this meeting and speak at public comments, or write to the school board with your comments prior to the meeting date. Interested parties can also sign a petition to retroactively reinstate all Honors Course grade-weights by copying/pasting into your browser https://www.change.org/p/retro...