COLUMBIANA — A new grading system will be in place at the Columbiana High School for the new school year.

The board of education approved the change at its most recent meeting, upon the advice of Principal David Buzzard and Superintendent Don Mook.

Buzzard explained that during the 2018-19 school year many conversations surfaced about weighted grades and weighted GPAs, with specific reference to College Credit Plus (CCP) courses.

He said that with the influx of current students in grades 9-12 participating in the College Credit Plus courses school officials have found that the result is pulling students away from the courses and accelerated curriculum offered at the high school.

“We have witnessed students gaining points on their course grade and graduation GPA by choosing to take CCP courses that are less rigorous than an AP or advanced level course offered here at the Columbiana High School,” Buzzard said.

For example, a CCP student opting to take College Algebra I to replace a math course at the high school would receive a weighted grade and potentially advance in both grade and GPA ahead of a student who chooses to stay at the high school, he explained.

He went on to say that when CCP was originally proposed and presented to students at the high school the intent was not to push students ahead in academic standing in high school but to promote them academically and help them better prepare themselves for their future post-secondary education plans.

“I am fearful we have gotten away from that educational stance,” he said.

His proposal, which was approved by the board, was the removal of add-on values to grades and GPA to “level the playing field for all students whether they stay a full-time Columbiana High School Student or choose the College Credit Plus program.”

Buzzard said going to a 4.0 grading scale GPA for all students, with 93-100 percent being an A grade, would align with what is already required by higher learning institutions.

“Our plan is to implement this grading scale change with the graduating class of 2022. We have reviewed the course work required through their sophomore year, and it will not impact their GPA standing,” he said.

With the change in place, students can remain at the high school while taking rigorous courses that also count toward the requirements for Ohio State Academic Honors, and passing the associated AP Exam will allow students to receive college credit for the course.

Students that opt to take CCP courses either on campus or online can also take rigorous courses that count toward requirements for Ohio State Academic Honors and will receive both high school and college credit for courses taken through the program, Buzzard said.

His proposal also included the implementation of the Latin Honors system for the graduating class of 2022.

As a result, a student would graduate summa cum laude if their GPA falls between 3.9 and 4.0; magna cum laude if it falls between 3.7 or 3.899, and cum laude if it falls between 3.5 or 3.699.

Also, instead of identifying a valedictorian/salutatorian, the high school will select a class graduation speaker based on whether the student has achieved summa cum laude, received an Ohio State Academic Honors Diploma under the requirements of the Ohio Department of Education, and obtained an ACT composite score of 27 or higher.

Two of the highest ACT scores will be chosen to speak at graduation, Buzzard said.

kwhite@mojonews.com