WHEREAS, according to a national study released in 2000 by the University of Maine, over half of the United States' school systems are currently assigning weighted grades for rigorous classes, and the number is increasing; and

WHEREAS, according to this same study, more students took rigorous classes in a weighted grading system because they are rewarded for taking the more challenging of the two courses with an extra point/half-point on their grade point average (GPA), even if they will get a lower grade than they would have received in an easier class; and

WHEREAS, this study further purports that a weighted grading scale system ensures that the top-ranked students in a graduating class are enrolled in the more rigorous classes in their school; and

WHEREAS, in 1993, Talley and Mohr reported that 74 percent of private college admission directors said that students with weighted grades have no advantage over students with the non-weighted grades, however, a comparison of students with the same basic transcript showed that students with weighted grades were chosen 76 percent of the time over students with non-weighted grades; and

WHEREAS, Tally and Mohr also surveyed college admission directors regarding their opinions of grade weighting, and 33 percent preferred non-weighted grades, 27 percent preferred quality points added to honors and advanced placement (AP) courses, 22 percent preferred specific point values for different levels of courses, 15 percent preferred that honors and AP courses be multiplied by a specific factor, and 3 percent had no preference; and

WHEREAS, a 1993 report by the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented found that as overall academic rigor increased, so did students' post-secondary GPA, whereas students in lower core curriculum classes had a lower GPA, 3.1 points versus 2.5 points, respectively; and

WHEREAS, the Beginning Post-Secondary Student Longitudinal Study issued in 1996, concluded that students who took more rigorous course work in high school stayed on the persistent track to a bachelor's degree and were less likely to enroll in remedial courses taken in the first year of post-secondary education; and

WHEREAS, the National Association of State Boards of Education in 2001, reported on the issue of weighted GPAs, noting that it is common practice to award additional course credit, typically an extra half-point for students taking a more rigorous course; and

WHEREAS, in this same report it was noted that the State of Arkansas issued a state-mandated scale covering advanced placement classes and approved honors classes, in which students received one additional point, or a full letter grade for taking the more demanding courses, i.e., an "A" in an AP or honors class would count as a "5" (rather than a "4") towards a student's GPA; and

WHEREAS, many schools in Hawaii already have different weighted-grade scales, where students are given points for taking courses that are more difficult and rigorous than basic core curriculum courses; and

WHEREAS, Leilehua High School in the central O'ahu school district awards an extra point to a student's GPA when taking an AP class, but additional points are not awarded to students in honors or gifted and talented classes, despite their level of difficulty above core classes; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-Second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2003, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Board of Education (BOE) is requested to adopt a statewide "weighted-grade scale" policy to encourage and reward students for taking more rigorous honors and AP courses; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the "weighted-grade scale" policy ensure comparability and uniform evaluations within the State to award grades that encourage student achievement and challenge students; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Education, the Superintendent of Education, the President of the Hawaii State Student Council, all principals of secondary schools, and all chairpersons of school/community-based management councils at secondary schools.

Report Title:

Requesting the Board of Education to Adopt a Statewide Weighted-Grade Scale Policy