Weighted Grading and Project Lead The Way
Many schools across the country have initiated a weighted grading system to
encourage qualified students to enroll in more challenging courses without
the fear that their class ranking will be negatively influenced. These
courses are frequently designated as Honors and Advanced Placement and are
perceived as “opening doors” to higher education. One consequence of such
weighting for these courses is that some students choose not to take a group
of courses they may be interested in because of the perceived weighted
advantage of others.
Project Lead The Way understands the dilemma
schools and students face in their course designation and selection process,
particularly when it comes to PLTW courses. In schools without weighted
grades, students enroll in PLTW courses because students like them, are
challenged, and feel they are learning skills that they will be able to use
in college and in career choices. Our courses appeal to “honors level”
students, as well as students in a wide range of abilities who thrive in our
program.
Meanwhile, an increasing number of schools that had not originally considered PLTW courses are beginning to include Project Lead The Way courses in their designated list of weighted grade courses. Below is a list of schools and contacts that are using PLTW courses as weighted grade courses:
| Lafayette Jefferson High School Ms Connie Shoemaker 1801 South 18th Street Lafayette, IN 47905 (765)772-4700 cshoemaker@lsc.k12.in.us |
Williamstown High School Mr. Stephen Stumpo 700 N. Tuckahoe Road Williamstown, NJ (856)262-2401 SStumpo@monroetwp.k12.nj.us |
Parkland High School Ms. Jane Barthold 2700 N. Cedar Crest Blvd. Allentown, PA 18104 (610)351-5600 ext 73506 bartholdj@parklandsd.org |
| Charles W. Baker High School Mr. John Rice 29 East Oneida Street Baldwinsville, NY 13027 (315)638-6008 jrice@bville.org |
John Jay High School Mr. John Ditton Route 52 Hopewell Junction, NY 12533-0038 (845)897-6700 ext 158 johnditton@hotmail.com |
Beaufort-Jasper Academy for
Career Excellence Mr. Ralph Worrell 80 Low Country Dr. Ridgeland, SC 29936 (843)987-8107 ext 216 worrellr@bjace.org |
| The Science Academy of South Texas Mr. Edward Argueta 900 Med High Mercedes, TX 78570 (956)565-2454 edward.argueta@stisd.net |
Just as in Honors and Advanced Placement courses,
Project Lead The Way courses provide the challenge, rigor and
relevance that these schools and these students are seeking as they
consider further college and university education. PLTW studies
indicate that higher education institutions recognize the PLTW name,
program and challenge and offer and/or accept the college credits
that PLTW students can earn through the college credit option.
Schools without weighted grading and many schools with weighted
grading see PLTW courses equal to the challenge of many of the honor
and advanced placement courses. This demonstrates one of the reasons
that Project Lead The Way is so attractive to schools in our 1300
schools in 45 states and the District of Columbia: PLTW’s program
answers the needs of schools operating under a variety of
approaches, schedules, and school populations.
Updated 4/25/2005