By Anthony Varriano
Ranger-Review Staff Writer
A small group of concerned parents don’t feel Glendive students are getting a fair shake when it comes to applying for college scholarships and asked the Glendive Unified School Board to alter the grading scale.
Angie Hagen stated her case to the board that the grading scale in Glendive is a lot higher than other schools in the area. She found that Baker, Belgrade, Billings West, Bozeman, Browning, Great Falls, Hardin, Havre, Helena, Livingston, Miles City and Sidney have a grading scale that runs from 90 percent to 100 percent for an ‘A’ grade. Glendive’s grading scale for an ‘A’ grade is 93-100 percent. Letter grades B-F also vary with Glendive’s scale being stricter than most other schools noted.
The current Glendive Schools grading scale was approved by the GUSB in 2004.
Hagen brought in scholarship applications that require minimum grade-point averages and said Glendive students are at a disadvantage when applying for those scholarships.
“If one of our students gets all 92 percents, they would only qualify for one of these because they would have a 3.0 (GPA) … while other students (from districts with the 90-100 scale) would have a 4.0,” she said.
School officials pointed out that because school system class periods and grading systems have so many variables, it is difficult to compare them equally.
DCHS guidance counselor Desiree Hoffer said a lot more goes into grade-point averages than the grading scale, using Billings Central’s six-period day for an example. Glendive students have seven classes per day, so Glendive students have more opportunity for grade points.
DCHS Principal Wade Murphy added that Laurel has a weighted GPA, with some kids graduating with a 4.25. He also cited schools that recognize minus and plus grades, where 3.67 points are given for an A- for example.
Glendive Schools are on a straight 4-point scale, meaning that any ‘A,’ whether it is accompanied by a minus or plus, equals a 4.0.
“This really opens up a good discussion. Grading is a hot button issue, really across the nation,” Murphy said.
A school staff survey conducted last year with 21 respondents resulted in more than 50 percent saying they’d prefer a grading scale where an ‘A’ grade is 90 percent to 100 percent. More than 60 percent said the same scale most accurately reflects student learning and more than 60 percent thinks the grading scale needs to change.
Murphy said he believes the grading scale to be a topic requiring further discussion.
“We really want to look at what does it mean, in Glendive at the high school level, to graduate and have that 92 percent or that 88 percent, what does that mean? ... What is that reflective of?” Murphy said.
Board chairwoman Jeanne Seifert said based on school policy it was unlikely that changes could be made until a new freshmen class starts the academic year.
Murphy said he would take the lead on forming a committee to discuss the matter with community members, faculty and administration.
Reach Anthony Varriano at rrsports@rangerreview.com.