Student committee recommends weighted GPAs for incoming high-school freshmen

What happened

A student committee recommended replacing the high schools’ 4.0 GPA scale with a weighted 5.0 scale, giving added GPA weight to courses that meet proposed rigor criteria. The change would begin with the incoming ninth-grade class (Class of 2031), but the board did not approve it at this meeting; the committee said it would return with a final recommendation after further review.

Why it matters to families

If adopted, the change would alter how high-school grades reflect advanced coursework and could affect GPA-based eligibility under Wisconsin’s UW-Madison admissions law. The proposed later start is meant to let students and counselors plan courses with the new rules in advance.

The evidence

At the Nov. 9 meeting, the student committee recommended a 5.0 weighted GPA in place of the current 4.0 scale. Its proposed criteria would recognize qualifying advanced pathways, including some courses earning college credit or industry credentials, while excluding courses equivalent to standard high-school electives. Presenters proposed starting with the Class of 2031; they said the committee would continue reviewing questions and bring back a final recommendation. No board vote approving the change occurred at this meeting.

The source