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. A few of these schools* include:

• Baker High School Baldwinsville, NY
• Beaufort County School District, Beaufort, SC
• Brockport High School, Brockport, NY
• Jefferson High School, Lafayette, IN
• John Jay High School, Salt Point, NY
• Parkland High School, Allentown, PA
• The Science Academy, Mercedes, TX
• Williamstown High School, Williamstown, NJ

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