Attention CUSD Seniors who took Honors Classes as a Freshman

There is a discrepancy between "Official Transcripts" being sent out by CUSD and the information students have been told to up-load to the Common Application and UC Application which could result in a re-calculation of the students weighted GPA by the college admissions staff.

This problem effects 804 students who took the following classes as freshman in 2015-16 (the current graduating High School Class 2019)

Tesoro High School
IDEA Biology
IDEA World History

Capistrano Valley High School
ATMS Biology
ATMS World History

San Clemente High School
Accelerated World History

CUSD has failed to properly code these classes; (see below), and have the word "Honors" in the course title. As such, although as a student you did Honors level course work, you may not receive the bump in GPA that you deserve because the transcripts do not have the "Honors" in the course title.

For example:

Tesoro Students transcripts say "IDEA Biology" There is no "Honors" in the Title.

In simple terms - some colleges; not seeing the word "Honors", will re-calculate a students GPA, and remove the grade bump for these classes because they have not been properly identified as "Honors" classes on the transcript even though CUSD gives them Honors weighting.

This could make a substantial change in your GPA. If you took two of these classes and got "A"s this could change your weighted GPA by .2 (for example, from a 4.2 to a 4.0).

A lower GPA will effect your ability to be accepted to some schools, and it may effect your ability to receive scholarship money.

CUSD has the ability to change the Title of the transcripts, but is choosing not to.

The 804 students who are affected by this need to appeal to CUSD to take the actions necessary to ensure integrity between what the CUSD students are submitting, and the Official Transcript.

CALL TO ACTION

Tesoro, Capo Valley and San Clemente students and parents must attend the October 10, 2018 CUSD BOT Meeting to represent yourselves, or this will not be fixed.

It can be fixed:

1) The students must ask for these courses to have the word "Honors" in the Title on the Official Transcript

and

2) Ask CUSD to re-upload the corrected Official Transcript to Common Application and the UC Application.

Note: CUSD does not want to do this work. But it must be fixed because it makes the students look like they have mis-represented their record when they self report grades as Honors that does not match what is on the Official Transcript.

In addition, some colleges are asking students to self report the total number of Honors, AP and IB classes they have taken. If the total number on the Official Transcript does not match the total number that students have uploaded, it will cause confusion for the Admissions staff. This could result in a re-calculation of the students GPA downward, or possibly hold up the application for clarification which would cause additional work for CUSDs' academic advisors.

THERE HAS TO BE INTEGRITY BETWEEN WHAT THE STUDENTS UPLOAD AND THE OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT COMING FROM CUSD!

If CUSD does not want to correct the Title on the Official Transcripts and re-upload the corrected Official Transcript then there is a partial remedy.

3) Ask CUSD to explain the discrepancy under the "Additional Information" section and up-load the "Additional Information" section on the Common Application and the UC Application so that there is clarity that Honors level work was done, and that these students are entitled to the 1 point grade bump in GPA for these classes. This must come from CUSD (not students) to be credible.

and

4) After the "Additional Information" has been revised and up-loaded, the "Additional Information" should be posted on the CUSD website and made available to these 804 students so that they can also up-load the "Additional Information" to the student section of the Common Application and the UC Application so that there is clarity that Honors level work was done, and that these students are entitled to the 1 point grade bump in GPA for these classes, and the total number of Honors/AP/IB classes is accurate and credible.

This would ensure integrity between the Official Transcript and what the students have self reported. Which would guarantee that these students would be submitted their highest possible weighted GPA for admissions and scholarship money.

The Public has the following opportunities to speak:

Before Closed Session at 4:00pm, and during Oral Communications at 7:00 pm.

CAPISTRANO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
33122 Valle Road
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING

Closed Session 4:00 pm

Regular Meeting 7:00pm

A School District that has an "Unwavering Commitment to Student Success" would take the time to correct the Official Transcripts and want to ensure that these 804 students were given their best opportunity to reach their academic potential.

The following shows how all courses should be coded for Universal exchange of data.
National Center for Education Statistics Secondary School Course Classification System: School Codes for the Exchange of Data (SCED)

* Note to San Clemente High School students - if your Course Title states "Accelerated" and not "Honors" you will most likely not receive the bump because the Common App will mark that as an "Accelerated Class" not an "Honors Class"