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ERIC Number: ED429390
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1996-May
Pages: 34
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
The Case for Weighting Grades and Waiving Classes for Gifted and Talented High School Students.
Cognard, Anne M.
This monograph discusses two studies that investigated weighting grades and waiving classes for gifted students. Data were gathered from 19 interviews with teachers, counselors and administrators in four high schools, questionnaires filled out by 189 high school administrators, 80 school policies on weighting grades and 19 policies on waiving classes, and attitudes of 15 college admission directors. Research results indicated that the majority of schools weighted some classes, although there is no consistency among schools as to which classes or grades are weighted. However, all schools which weighted grades had one thing in common: a commitment to defining excellence and to giving credence to what excellence means to them through the process of weighting grades. Respondents stated a correlation between their decision to weight grades and their interest in reinforcing able students to take demanding courses. The study on waiving classes also showed a lack of national consistency on how classes are waived. One constant did occur: no class is waived unless students show mastery of materials. When students are allowed to skip/waive lower-level classes such classes usually generate no credit and students are often required to take more advanced classes in the same academic discipline. (CR)
NRC/GT, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7, Storrs, CT 06269-2007.
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC.
Authoring Institution: National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, Storrs, CT.
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A