It was revealed at Monday's District 204 school board meeting that the administration has had discussions about eliminating class rank.
Opponents of the ranking system say that among the drawbacks, rank can be misleading because in a highly competitive school district such as D204, those students lower down on the ranking list still have very good grades. In District 203, which eliminated ranks in 2006, administrators found that students were basing their choice of classes on how they would affect their rank, steering away from non-honors classes like music and technology.
Contrary to fears, D203 found that students signed up for more honors classes after the ranks were eliminated.
Some students the Sun talked to, however, were protective of their ranking, seeing it as a tangible goal and a way of comparing themselves to their peers. Others said a high ranking was a reward for hard work.
About 45 percent of high schools in the country have eliminated the rankings. Is it time for D204 to follow that course?
