By Hogan Webb
Staff writer
The Manhattan Beach Unified School District Board of Trustees approved to weight Costa Advanced Placement courses effective in the 2015-16 school year.
When the new policy is in effect, students will receive weighted credit for all applicable courses previously taken at Mira Costa. All Advanced Placement classes with be weighted on a 5.0 scale.
“I’m glad that students who push themselves a little harder in these AP classes are being rewarded for it,” Principal Ben Dale said.
At the board meeting on February 4, 2015, several public speakers asked the Board to consider weighting grades for the benefit of students who apply to universities that do not have their own weighting systems. The Board established a Subcommittee to further investigate the pros and cons of weighing grades at Costa.
“The decision was wrong,” Fauver said. “It was made in favor of those who apply to the few schools that do not have their own weighting systems; it was not in the best interest of the entire student community.”
Beginning with the Costa class of 2016, valedictorian and salutation awards will be discontinued. The new designations will follow the university model and will be listed in the commencement program.
“We are going to take a solid review of this decision in a year from now to see what results have been achieved,” School Board President Bill Fournell said.
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