WARSAW — A significant overhaul has been done to the grading system at Warsaw Community High School and the Warsaw Area Career Center, beginning with the new school year.

The change, according to a press release from Warsaw Community Schools, is a result of ongoing strategic planning initiatives.

The two most significant changes will be the shift from a 12-point scale to a 4.0 scale and the transition from having a valedictorian and salutatorian to a cum laude system of rating a student’s excellence.

“During the 2018-19 school year, the WCS grading initiative team did a large-scale study of how colleges and universities interpret a student’s GPA, as well as looked at teacher and parent perceptions of the district’s practices,” said WCS through a press release.

“As a result, WCS is making the following changes for the 2019-20 school year:”

• Quarter 1 and 3 grades cannot be lower than 50 percent.
• Quarter 2 and 4 grades will be recorded as earned.
• WCHS/WACC does not post quarter 1 and quarter 3 grades below 50 percent (equaling an “F”). This makes it possible for students who show growth in future grading periods to recover from the F grade.
• A three-tier weighted grading system will be implemented starting in the fall of 2019.
• AP and dual credit classes will be weighted on the 5.0 scale. Honors courses, work based learning and internship will be weighted on a 4.5 scale. All other classes will be graded on a 4.0 scale.
• A complete listing of honors courses, AP and dual credit offerings can be found at: http://wchs.warsaw.k12.in.us/information-sp-766274716/entry/grades-and-grading.
• Grading weights will be applied with the completion of the accompanying exam or performance assessment and a C- or higher must be obtained in the course to receive the weighted grade.
• Weights have been retroactively applied to student’s historical grades.
• Class rank will be unpublished by WCS due to extensive research into college/university admissions and scholarships processes. Students can still access their class rank if needed by contacting their guidance counselor.
• WCHS/WACC uses the cum laude system to honor academically high-achieving students. The following thresholds have been set for this distinction: Cum Laude, 3.5 to 3.69 GPA; Magna Cum Laude, 3.7 to 3.89 GPA; Summa Cum Laude, 3.9 to 4.00 GPA.