Petition to the AHISD Regarding Calculation of Grade Point Averages

Petition to the Alamo Heights Independent School District Board of Trustees
Regarding Calculation of Grade Point Averages

The undersigned citizens of the Alamo Heights Independent School District (AHISD) respectfully request that the AHISD Board of Trustees reconsider their decision of January 2008, to not include Physical Education (P.E.) and Athletics grades in the calculation of current students grade point averages (GPAs). We strongly believe that this decision is not in the best interest of the majority of the high school students.

The undersigned understand that the Districts software (the TREX system) is only capable of reporting grades one way, that is, with or without Physical Education or Athletic grades, but not both. The undersigned further understand that the Board of Trustees made its decision in January 2008 assuming that the State of Texas would require that Physical Education/Athletics grades would not be included in GPA calculations. However, the State did not make that decision, and the States decision concerning what courses will be included in GPA calculations remains a work in progress and undetermined at this time.

The undersigned further understand that school districts across the State calculate GPAs in a variety of methods. Some districts include P.E./Athletics, some districts only consider core courses, some districts consider only the P.E. credits required to graduate from high school. Undoubtedly, there are other variations throughout Texas school districts.
The undersigned are further aware that the Board of Trustees believes that colleges and universities prefer to review high school applicants grades without P.E./Athletics included in GPA calculations. While that general statement may be true for schools with smaller applicant pools, many colleges and universities do not have the ability to review applicants with and without certain classes. For example, last year The University of Texas at Austin received 30,000 applicants for 7,000 entering freshmen. Larger schools review an applicants GPA and class rank, and the admissions offices do not have the manpower to review applicants with and without certain courses. Smaller colleges and universities may have the personnel to review applications in greater detail, but larger public institutions do not. With ever-increasing competition to attend schools such as The University of Texas and Texas A&M University, the Board of Trustees January 2008 decision has serious and real consequences for current high school students.

Accordingly, the undersigned request that the January 2008 decision be rescinded for the following reasons:

First, the Attorney General decided that the new method of calculating GPAs, which is still being reviewed by the State, would apply to future students, not current students.

Second, there is no impediment to the Board of Trustees reversing its decision. The State of Texas is not mandating that public schools exclude P.E./Athletics grades from GPA calculations at this time.

Third, the decision of the Board of Trustees changes the rules of the game for students in the classes of 2009-2012. It is fair and appropriate to change the rule only for future classes, that is, the class of 2013 and future classes. Students may then make decisions about their curriculum with full knowledge of the rules applicable to their high school years. To the extent that the mandated use of the TREX system no longer permits the best of calculation method, the District should utilize the calculation that changes the rules for the fewest number of current high school students, that is, a calculation which includes P.E./Athletics.

Fourth, it is not too late to make this decision advocated in this petition applicable to the Class of 2009. While it may require some additional work for District employees, that is not a reason to refuse to take the action. The District should do all that it can to assist our students, and current high school students should not be penalized with the current rule adopted by the Board of Trustees.

Therefore, the undersigned respectfully request that the Board reconsider and rescind its January 2008 decision and calculate current students GPAs with P.E./Athletics. Because the vast majority of students will benefit from including P.E./Athletics in GPA calculations, we strongly urge the Board of Trustees to reverse its January 2008 decision and act accordingly.