'Dedicated to fighting to give all LCPS students equal access'
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In response to Michele Zuckerman's July 2 letter in the Times-Mirror ['School Board members turn down invitation to presentation'], it is important to emphasize why Loudoun County must change our grading scale to the 10-point scale that is nationally recognized by the Department of Education as the most common grading scale.
Why now? Loudoun students face increasingly competitive college admissions caused by three factors: more graduating high school seniors; a higher percentage of high school graduates attending college; and a relatively constant number of freshman seats. A level playing field is a must in such a competitive environment.
Since Ms. Zuckerman's letter was published, one School Board member contacted FairGrade Loudoun and asked to review the data we have collected. We believe the data speaks for itself, and we welcome the opportunity to present our findings to parent, community and civic organizations.
This movement is not limited to Loudoun and Fairfax counties; it has spread to Stafford, Shenandoah, Virginia Beach and Norfolk. Increased numbers of out-of-state students are taking our children's seats at our state institutions. More of our children are seeking admissions out of state. Merit scholarships and places in honors programs are being lost to students who have higher GPAs than our grading scale permits. That is undisputed.
The reputation of a school system is not built on its grading scale, but rather on the quality of its curriculum, its teachers and its administrators. The reputation of LCPS is notable. It has nothing to do with our seven-point scale. It has everything to do with the dedicated educators in our schools. Teachers will teach the same way, regardless of the grading scale. The difference will be that our students' transcripts will be earned on a level playing field with the majority of students in this country. This will allow our students greater opportunities when it comes to obtaining "good student" car insurance discounts, college admissions, merit-based scholarships and NCAA eligibility.
FairGrade Loudoun is dedicated to fighting to give all Loudoun County Public School students equal access to the opportunities that are dependent on the grading system. Visit our Web site at www.fairgradeloudoun.org for more information, schedule a presentation and sign our petition.
Kathy Lague
FairGrade Loudoun
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