Historical Perspective/Context

Smithfield High School has been reviewing its grading system for many years. Administrators and staff have
researched grading practices, specifically the use of homework, zeros, class rank and use of valedictorian and
salutatorian. In 2013, the high school leadership team developed a proposal to change the current practice of
class rank and how valedictorian and salutatorian are selected. The proposal was to move to the Latin honor
system. The high school principal visited the elementary and middle school PTAs to share the proposal. The
proposal was also shared with the School Committee during a Saturday work session. Feedback from these
meetings indicated a strong desire to use weighted grades to determine class rank. There was little resistance
to moving to a Latin honor system. However, the proposal did not move forward.

In the 2017/2018 school year, Smithfield Public Schools completed a Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan set a
goal to revise the current ranking system. The Strategic Plan Theory of Action states:
● By revising the current ranking system, we can recognize more students, emphasize growth, and
decrease the level of unhealthy academic competition.

A committee of stakeholders (teachers, administrators, counselors, parents, & students) was organized to
investigate the current ranking system and research options. The committee began by gathering information
about how high schools throughout the country celebrate academic success. In addition, they investigated the
impact of class rank on the application process for colleges and universities. The committee also reviewed a
dissertation on school counselor perceptions of schools moving to a Latin honors system.

The goal of the committee was to develop ways of honoring students for meeting an academic standard and
not merely for competing academically against their peers. The rationale for this change was to adopt a form
of recognition that most colleges and universities use to acknowledge their most successful students at
graduation. Additionally, the committee wanted to provide recognition to more of our outstanding seniors than
the valedictorian/salutatorian concept allowed.

Key Proposed Changes

● Effective for the start of the 2019/2020 school year, course weights will be modified:
○ College Prep 1.0
○ Honors 1.05
○ AP/EEP 1.10
● Effective the Class of 2020, the Latin honor system will be used to recognize academic excellence at
the conclusion of a student’s high school career. Students will work to compete against the criterion for
academic honors—not each other.
● Effective the Class of 2020, SHS will continue to report out weighted and unweighted GPAs on the
transcript. The transcript will include Latin honors.
● Effective the Class of 2023, Smithfield High School will no longer rank students or have a
valedictorian/salutatorian.

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High Academic Honors Recognition - Class of 2020, 2021, & 2022
A student’s cumulative GPA at the end of the first semester of senior year will be used to determine the level of
honor on a student’s high school transcript, diploma, and for academic recognition at commencement
exercises. The following three levels of academic honors will be used:

● Summa Cum Laude with highest distinction - Cumulative GPA average of 94 or above
● Magna Cum Laude with great distinction - Cumulative GPA average of 92 - 93.999
● Cum Laude with distinction - Cumulative GPA average of 90 - 91.999

​ PA will be used to calculate all academic honors.

The ​unweighted G

Students will be honored at graduation with the following honor cords.

● Summa Cum Laude - Gold
● Magna Cum Laude - Silver
● Cum Laude - White
● National Honor Society - Blue & White
● Senior Year College - Green & White

Data
​ lass rank and where they fit in the proposed Latin honors
This data represents the un​weighted c
system.
Class of Class of Class of Class of Class of Class of
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
N = 203 N = 165 N =181 N =177 N =154 N =183

Summa Cum 13 11 14 10 17 13
Laude

Magna Cum 24 13 15 16 13 15
Laude

Cum Laude 17 26 18 20 22 22

Total 54 50 47 46 52 50

% Honored 27% 30% 26% 26% 34% 27%

Graduation Speakers
● Valedictorian
● Salutatorian
● Class President

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High Academic Honors Recognition - Class of 2023 & Beyond
A student’s cumulative GPA at the end of the first semester of senior year will be used to determine the level of
honor on a student’s high school transcript, diploma, and for academic recognition at commencement
exercises. The following three levels of academic honors will be used:

● Summa Cum Laude with highest distinction - Cumulative GPA average of 98 or above
● Magna Cum Laude with great distinction - Cumulative GPA average of 95 - 97.999
● Cum Laude with distinction - Cumulative GPA average of 92 - 94.999

The ​weighted ​GPA will be used to calculate all academic honors.

This model will replace the practice of using class rank and Valedictorian and Salutatorian on all official
Smithfield Public Schools documentation.

In the event that a miscalculation occurs, honors may be awarded after the fact, but honors mistakenly
awarded will not be retracted. GPAs calculated after final grades have posted that meet the Latin honors
system requirements will have the appropriate designation posted to the transcript.

Students will be honored at graduation with the following honor cords.

● Summa Cum Laude - Gold
● Magna Cum Laude - Silver
● Cum Laude - White
● National Honor Society - Blue & White
● Senior Year College - Green & White

Data
​ lass rank and where they fit in the proposed Latin honors system.
This data represents the ​weighted c
Class of Class of Class of Class of Class of Class of
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
N = 203 N = 165 N =181 N =177 N =154 N =183

Summa Cum 13 10 16 10 17 15
Laude

Magna Cum 15 19 14 15 15 19
Laude

Cum Laude 28 22 21 26 32 19

Total 56 51 51 51 64 53

% Honored 28% 31% 28% 29% 42% 29%

Graduation Speakers
● All Summa Cum Laude students will have the option to write a graduation speech. Submissions will be
judged blindly by student/faculty council chosen by the principal.
● Class President
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Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Why did course weights change?
a. Research on weighted grades indicates that the majority of schools weight some classes,
though there is no consistency among schools as to which classes or grades are weighted, how
much each grade is weighted, and/or how labeling (on transcripts or in programs of study)
occurs. However, all schools which weight grades have one thing in common: a commitment to
defining "excellence" and to giving credence to what excellence means to them through the
process of weighting grades. The Class Rank Committee feels that course weights should be
modified. The general consensus was to make sure that AP and EEP courses were weighted
higher than an honors course.
2. Which courses will not be calculated into the GPA?
a. The following course will not be calculated into the final GPA:
i. Physical Education, Concept Strategies, Life Skills, Literacy, Numeracy Courses
ii. Online Courses
iii. College courses not affiliated with Early Enrollment Courses offered on campus (i.e.
Bryant-Business 101, Running Start)
3. What are the advantages of the Latin Honor System?
a. Latin honors recognize the academic accomplishments of more students. Instead of honoring
only a handful of students whose performance may be based on relatively small differences in
GPA, Latin honors recognize all students whose performance exceeded high academic
standards.
b. Latin honors represent a much broader spectrum of academic accomplishment. The three levels
of Latin honors—Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, and Cum Laude—can be adapted by
schools to reflect their distinct academic standards, while also giving more students the
opportunity to work hard and earn recognition for their achievements.
c. Latin honors are more fundamentally equitable. When academic recognition is based on relative
measures and student-to-student comparisons, rather than the same consistent standards, one
student’s success is another student’s failure, and vice versa. And when “success” and “failure”
are defined by fractionally small differences in GPA, the fundamental fairness of the system is
called into question.
d. Colleges, universities, and the general public are familiar with Latin honors. Instead of devising
a new system of academic recognition that may be unfamiliar or confusing, schools can use
Latin honors, which provide an established, understandable system with a long and storied
academic tradition.
4. What are the disadvantages of class rank?
a. Class ranking only recognizes a comparatively small number of students—the valedictorian,
salutatorian, and top-performing percentiles—whose performance has been measured against
other students, rather than the same consistently applied learning standards.
b. In some cases, fractional differences in GPA often determine class rank. For example, a mere
thousandth of a point difference in GPA may determine which student becomes the
valedictorian or which students fall within the top tenth percentile. Such vanishingly small
differences in academic performance can render class-ranking comparisons essentially
meaningless, including graduating classes with ten or twenty-five “valedictorians” who all
achieved numerically perfect academic records.

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 c. Students may decline to take educationally valuable courses or pursue personal interests
because certain courses may be considered too challenging (therefore presenting a greater
likelihood of a lower grade) or because they present a mathematical disadvantage when it
comes to calculating GPA and class rank (such as non-weighted arts courses, for example, in
schools that use weighted-grade systems).
d. Students may narrowly fixate on numerical indicators of academic performance and minuscule
scoring discrepancies that might adversely affect their GPA. Consequently, they may also
experience greater anxiety, academic pressure, or feelings of failure, rather than enjoying
learning, challenging themselves academically, accepting and overcoming failures, or focusing
on the larger purpose and benefits of education.
5. Why would the district decide to use the Latin Honors system?
a. In the 2017/2018 school year, Smithfield Public Schools completed a Strategic Plan. The
Strategic Plan set a goal to revise our current ranking system. The Strategic Plan Theory of
Action states:
i. By revising the current ranking system, we can recognize more students, emphasize
growth, and decrease the level of unhealthy academic competition
6. When will the Latin honor system changes go into effect?
a. Effective the Class of 2020, the Latin honor system will be used to recognize academic
excellence at the conclusion of a student’s high school career. Students will work to compete
against the criterion for academic honors—not each other. Valedictorian and salutatorian will
continue to be selected by unweighted GPA for the Classes of 2020, 2021, and 2022.
b. Effective the Class of 2023, Smithfield High School will no longer rank students or have a
valedictorian/salutatorian.
7. Even though class rank would no longer be reported, will it be available upon request?
a. No. Beginning with the Class of 2023, we will not report class rank at all unless we encounter
the rare exception of it being absolutely required for a specific college application.
8. How will students be recognized at graduation?
a. Students will receive honor cords at the Senior Honors night. Students will wear their cords at
graduation.
b. Students will be honored at graduation with the following honor cords.
i. Summa Cum Laude - Gold
ii. Magna Cum Laude - Silver
iii. Cum Laude - White
iv. National Honor Society - Blue & White
v. Senior Year College - Green & White
9. If class rank is not provided on most college applications, will that hurt our students’ chances to be
accepted into college?
a. Highly doubtful. Not reporting class rank will force college admissions into evaluating our
graduates via a more holistic approach, putting greater emphasis on the rigor of coursework and
corresponding grades in that coursework, SAT/ACT scores, letters of recommendation, etc., and
will likely be advantageous for our students. The trend across our nation is fewer high schools
reporting class rank, and fewer colleges considering class rank.

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10. Will there still be a designated class valedictorian and class salutatorian?
a. Yes, the Class of 2020, 2021, and 2022 will have a valedictorian and salutatorian based on
unweighted GPA. Effective the Class of 2023, Smithfield High School will no longer rank
students or have a valedictorian/salutatorian.
11. So who will speak at graduation?
a. Class of 2020, 2021, & 2022
i. Valedictorian
ii. Salutatorian
iii. Class President
b. Class of 2023 & Beyond
i. All Summa Cum Laude students will have the option to write a graduation speech.
Submissions will be judged blindly by student/faculty council chosen by the principal
ii. Class President
12. What about scholarships? Don’t some of our local scholarship criteria include class rank?
a. The local scholarship groups, foundations, and/or individual donors will be notified that within
the next three years, the criteria language will need to change so that the term “class rank” is no
longer included. We will happily work with our local providers on ways to creatively change
criteria to better reflect the Latin honor system changes, if necessary.
13. What if a student transfers into SHS from another public school?
a. Students transferring into SHS will have their credits validated through a transcript review. All
grades and credits earned through transcript review shall appear on the transcript. AP/EEP
courses will be recognized and weighted according to SHS guidelines. All other transfer
courses will not be weighted. Unique situations will be considered by the building principal on
an individual basis based on the rigor of the course.
14. What if a student transfers into SHS from a foreign, non-public, non-accredited, or home-based school?
a. Students entering the district from a foreign, non-public, non-accredited, or home-based school
shall be required to have their credits validated through a transcript review and/or
district-approved examination. All grades and credits earned through validation shall appear on
the transcript and shall not be included in GPA calculations. AP/EEP courses may be
recognized and weighted according to SHS guidelines at the discretion of the principal. Unique
situations will be considered by the building principal on an individual basis based on the rigor of
the course.
15. How do credit recovery courses impact GPA?
a. Please see the ​Smithfield High School Program of Studies​ regarding credit recovery options
and the impact on GPA.
16. My child plans to spend senior year at college (i.e Running Start, CCRI). How will they be included in
the Latin honors system?
a. College courses are not included in the final GPA. However, students attending college during
their senior year will be eligible for the Latin honors system. Students meeting the following
requirements will receive a green and white cord for graduation.
i. Final GPA from the end of the junior year will be used to determine Latin honors system
placement.
ii. The student must pass all college courses first semester.

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 17. How does this impact the Bryant University Scholarship?
a. These changes do not impact this scholarship. Bryant University shares a list of students
accepted into Bryant University with the SHS counseling office. SHS supplies Bryant University
with the ​weighted ​GPA averages for these students. Bryant University then offers the
scholarship to the student with the highest GPA.
18. How will these changes impact the high school budget?
a. We will need to purchase additional honors cords beginning with the Class of 2020. These
cords are not currently budgeted. Cords are approximately $3 each.

 
Topic Current Practice Class of 2020, 2021, & Class of 2023 &
2023 Beyond

Course Weights College Prep 1.0 College Prep 1.0 College Prep 1.0
Honors/AP/EEP 1.08 Honors 1.05 Honors 1.05
AP/EEP 1.10 AP/EEP 1.10

Latin Honors None Yes Yes

Class Rank Yes Yes No

Valedictorian/Salutatorian #1 & #2 #1 & #2 No

Unweighted GPA Unweighted GPA

Honor Cords NHS Only Summa Cum Laude - Summa Cum Laude -
Gold Gold
Magna Cum Laude - Magna Cum Laude -
Silver Silver
Cum Laude - White Cum Laude - White
National Honor Society - National Honor Society -
Blue & White Blue & White
Senior Year College - Senior Year College -
Green & White Green & White

Graduation Speakers Valedictorian Valedictorian All Summa Cum Laude

Salutatorian Salutatorian students will have the
Class President Class President option to write a
graduation speech.
Submissions will be
judged blindly by
student/faculty council
chosen by the principal.
Class President