A new 10-point grading scale is in place through Louisiana’s public school system in all 1303 schools in 70 school districts. The new scale replaces the previous 7-point system. District 3 State Representative Tammy Phelps, D-Shreveport, wrote House Bill 424, which dictated the change. Governor Jeff Landry signed the measure into law June 3. It took effect August 1. The legislation is now known as Act No. 428.
The Shreveport Democrat says the change will help standardize grading practices to better align Louisiana with many other states. “Most of the nation is on a 10-point scale. All of our colleges are. And so we just wanted to streamline it, to where it wouldn’t be so difficult of trying to have those calculations accurate.” This shift provides students with a broader range to achieve higher grades, grade point averages and academic performances.
As Sean Richardson with the Louisiana Radio Network reports, according to Phelps, having the same grading system statewide will create a more equitable system, making it easier for students who transfer between schools or states. “We’re not lowering the bar, the standard. Pretty much it’s just an equal playing field because of colleges across the nation.”
Phelps says she hopes the new standard will also allow Louisiana to be more competitive when it comes to comparing Louisiana’s education rankings with the rest of the country, along with simplifying transcript evaluations for college applications.
Phelps questions, “Sometimes Louisiana wants to be an outlier in higher standards but is that beneficial?” She says despite these benefits, the importance of hard work, early identification of struggles, and seeking help remains paramount for academic success and resilience in life.
Under the old system, the grading scale was:
- A: 100-93
- B: 92-85
- C: 84-77
- D: 76-70
- F: Below 70
The new 10-point scale is as follows:
- A: 100-90
- B: 89-80
- C: 79-70
- D: 69-60
- F: Below 60
