Graduation Honors: Review Policies Before End of Year

As the school year draws to a close, it’s important for districts to review their policies on graduation, class rank, and local honors. Class rank is particularly important because state law ties it to higher education benefits, including scholarships and automatic university admission.

To ensure fairness, districts should have a well-defined system in place that establishes clear rules for students and parents. Class rank policies should be clearly written and effectively communicated. Graduation season brings strong emotions, and the stakes can feel incredibly high for both parents and students. School districts are well-advised to have policies in place that minimize the risk of complaints or litigation. 

Q&A: Policies Regarding Graduation, Class Rank, and Local Honors

Following are answers to key questions about policies regarding graduation, class rank, and local honors.

Where is a district’s policy on class ranking and graduation requirements?

A district’s policies regarding class rank are found in your district’s policy manual under EIC, while graduation policies are located under EIF.

While the commissioner of the Texas Education Agency is authorized by statute to develop a standardized method for calculating high school grade-point averages, including assigning additional weight for advanced courses, TEA has not exercised this option. Tex. Educ. Code § 28.0252. Consequently, calculating GPA and class rank is based entirely on local school district policy and each school district is likely to have unique rules regarding class rank.

What factors should my district consider when developing a class rank policy, and what details are usually included in EIC(LOCAL)?

Policy EIC(LOCAL) should specify which classes are included in or excluded from a student’s GPA calculation and whether any of the courses will be awarded special weight. Many districts elect to award extra weight to more demanding courses — such as honors, advanced placement, and international baccalaureate courses — when calculating GPA. If a district chooses to adopt a weighted grading system, the district policy should specify the method of weighting grades and state how the district will weight, if at all, transfer credits, credit by examination, dual credit, correspondence courses, and elective courses. The policy should also specify whether failing grades are included in a student’s GPA.

How are the valedictorian and salutatorian chosen?

Local honors and awards, including designations like valedictorian, salutatorian, and honors graduates, are determined at the discretion of each school district. A district’s EIC(LOCAL) should outline the criteria for these honors and specify when the district will calculate class rank for the purpose of these designations. Typically, the policy also outlines eligibility requirements for receiving these honors, such as the minimum number of semesters a student must attend before graduation, or any other qualifications adopted by the district. As long as a school board does not exercise its discretion in a manner that is disallowed by law, the board has a great deal of latitude in determining the manner in which local academic honors will be awarded. Generally, Texas courts and the commissioner of education will uphold local decisions that are not arbitrary, capricious, or unlawful.

What provisions will I find in Policy EIF regarding graduation?

Policy EIF(LEGAL) provides the legal framework for high school graduation, including the state’s minimum requirements for a student to graduate from a Texas high school, called the foundation high school program. While students are required to complete courses mandated by the state under the foundation program, districts have the option to require addi[1]tional course credits beyond the state’s minimum requirements. Your district’s choices regarding requirements in addition to the foundation program are found in Policy EIF(LOCAL).

Can we change our district’s class rank or graduation policies?

Yes, however, TASB Legal Services strongly recommends not changing class rank rules or graduation requirements during a current student’s high school education. If a school board changes its class rank policy midway through students’ high school education, and it makes the change effective immediately upon adoption, students could be negatively affected. These students have already made academic decisions based on the previous policies and relied on them in their pursuit of honors. Legal complaints could be filed. Since academic honors often come with monetary awards, such as scholarships, a student who is denied an honors position due to policy changes may claim monetary damages in a potential lawsuit.

When a district plans to change its class rank or graduation policy, including how class rank is calculated and which classes are considered, TASB Legal Services advises adopting the changes prospectively, applying them only to incoming freshman classes. This approach reduces the risk of litigation by ensuring that current students are not affected by policy changes midway through their high school education. If different calculation methods are used for different graduating classes, the district’s policy should clearly specify which system applies to each cohort of students.

If you have questions about these issues, consult your district’s attorney or call TASB Legal Services at 800-580-5345.

This article is provided for educational purposes and contains information to facilitate a general understanding of the law. References to judicial or other official proceedings are intended to be a fair and impartial account of public records, which may contain allegations that are not true. This article is not an exhaustive treatment of the law, nor is it intended to substitute for the advice of an attorney. Consult your own attorney to apply these legal principles to specific fact situations.