On September 27, LS Superintendent and Principal Andrew Stephens announced the completion of the new leveling system for classes, a process that began during the 2023-2024 school year. The new leveling system will refer to level designations as “College Prep.,” “Honors,” and “High Honors.” This change has sparked renewed interest in the issue of unweighted vs. weighted GPA, the topic of which has been considered before, but a consensus has yet to be reached. 

In comparing eight neighboring districts in Massachusetts, there is no clear consensus. High schools in Wayland and Weston have an unweighted GPA whereas Wellesley, Westford Academy, Dover-Sherborn, and Maynard high schools use a weighted GPA. Acton-Boxborough includes both weighted and unweighted GPAs in its transcripts. Concord-Carlisle allows for weighted GPA for honor and AP courses only. Weston made the switch to unweighted GPA a few years ago to encourage students to take courses at appropriate levels of challenge and to foster a focus on learning rather than looking at courses for a GPA boost. 

Currently, LS implements an unweighted GPA scale, meaning that regardless of rigor, grades in High Honors courses are considered equal to those of Honors or College Prep. courses. As a result, the GPA recorded in LS transcripts does not numerically reflect the new level designations now in place. Even so, the new level designations will provide more clarity in identifying the LS courses so that college admissions offices can better assess the student transcripts. As part of its ongoing efforts to implement academic changes, it seems appropriate for LS to take a review of the current status of an unweighted GPA scale.