Seattle Public Schools is committed to preparing every student to graduate ready for college, careers and life. Our dedicated teachers and instructional staff are to making this goal a reality. We are taking a number of actions to support this goal that range from academic to social supports; work on assessment, prevention and intervention; and increasing opportunities for students to take advanced course work. Curriculum alignment, end of course exams, and expanded college readiness programs such as Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate are important components.

Another step we are taking to create a college-bound culture includes proposing changes to our grading policy so that a student's GPA more accurately reflects their performance, while at the same time encouraging all students to stay in school, enroll in rigorous courses, and to achieve at higher levels. The proposed grading policy changes include:

* Change to an 11 point grading system containing plus and minus marks to encourage students to achieve at higher levels and to more accurately reflect each student's academic performance;

* Offer weighted credit as an incentive for students to enroll in Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and Honors courses as well as to recognize the completion of advanced work;

* Offer high school credit for certain courses taught in middle schools that are equivalent to high school level courses;

* Align the requirements for participating in extracurricular activities to the standard set by the WIAA to encourage students to become more involved in their school through participation in extracurricular activities, while also requiring that students who wish to participate in extracurricular activities maintain both the number of credits necessary for advancement to the next grade level and a schedule that will facilitate on-time graduation; and

* Repeal the provision of School Board Policy that states that "in order to graduate, students will be required to have at least a 2.0 or above cumulative GPA and a 2.0 cumulative GPA or above in all required courses in English Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science. For purposes of this board-adopted graduation requirement only, the GPA will be calculated in a way that treats an 'E' grade the same as an 'N' grade. Also, when a student retakes a course, the second grade received will, if higher, replace the first grade. The 2.0 grade point average requirements will be waived if a student successfully passes a content and skill exam to be given in the spring of their senior year," as it has lead to significant confusion and inconsistent application of standards.

We developed these recommendations to the School Board over a period of two years. As we developed proposals, we worked closely with and engaged students, families, high school principals, teachers, and counselors, including nearly 4000 survey responses. Many of the changes we propose are modeled on policies that are working successfully in other districts in our region and around the country.

We acknowledge that removing the 2.0 core and cumulative GPA graduation requirement might seem counterintuitive at first glance. However, collectively, the proposed changes will result in a GPA that more accurately reflects student performance. The new policy will increase incentives for student performance, support students to remain in school and earn their diploma, and recognize the extra effort required of students in AP, IB, and honors courses.

In the past, we have focused on meeting graduation requirements. We are now moving toward ensuring college readiness so that every student graduates with the ability to choose their career path by having a higher level of skills necessary to succeed. This is an important step toward achieving our goal of providing an excellent education for every student in every school.