Shifting to a 10-Point Grade Scale

Kingsway’s plan shifts our current eight (8)-Point Scale to a modified ten (10)-Point Scale. Adoption of a modified 10-point scale eases the transition our students will experience as they move to the college or university setting. We believe that the shift will:

1. Improve the college admission opportunities by creating a fairer opportunity to apply for college admissions and scholarships, given a number of states and high schools throughout the country that utilize a 10-point grading scale.
2. Align to colleges, who predominantly favor the 10-point scale, creating a seamless transition.
3. Maintain current rigor and teacher standards.

For example, the North Carolina State Board of Education began full implementation of a 10-point grading scale in 2015 ³, moving away from the long-standing 7-point scale, because they believed it created a disadvantage for North Carolina students in applying to colleges when other high schools were using a 10-point scale. The following year the State of South Carolina would shift to a 10-point scale, for similar reasons ⁴. The State’s Superintendent Molly Spearman said, “A 92 is a ‘B’ in South Carolina, while it’s an ‘A’ for students in North Carolina and Georgia. This means a South Carolina student gets a 3.0 for his GPA while students from North Carolina and Georgia get a 4.0 for his GPA, putting South Carolina Students at a disadvantage when it comes to admission and scholarships.”

The arguments for a 10-point scale hold true for a Kingsway student, as they too will compete for acceptance to colleges and universities with students from Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. Additionally, Kingsway students compete locally with student from Lenape, Seneca, Shawnee, Williamstown, Garnet Valley, Lower Merion, Radnor, and Marple Newtown, to name a few, all of whom implemented a 10-point scale.