Would raising minimum GPA be equation for district excellence?

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by Ellin Walsh

Reporter

Cuyahoga Falls -- Should the Cuyahoga Falls City School District keep its 1.5 minimum grade point average requirement for eligibility in athletics and extracurricular activities or raise it?

The city school district Board of Education debated the matter during its Nov. 20 meeting, deciding to revisit it Dec. 5. The issue was raised during consideration of Policies 2430 and 2431, which deal with district-sponsored clubs and activities and interscholastic athletics. Superintendent Dr. Edwin S. Holland recommended the policies be revised to replace a reference to proficiency testing with the Ohio Graduation Test and to keep the current GPA level, which he deemed appropriate.

"To me, the problem I have with this 1.5 [GPA]," Board Vice President Therese Dunphy said, "is that we say everywhere and in every way, that we have to have high expectations of our students and that the way we're going to reach that 'excellent' rating is to believe that we can do it. And I think that our role as a Board is to send the message that we believe we can achieve that and to say the 1.5 is going to get us there is wrong."

Dunphy has proposed keeping the minimum GPA for athletic eligibility and participation in district-sponsored clubs and activities at 1.5 for the 2007-08 school year; however, next year, Dunphy has suggested the minimum GPA be raised to 1.75 and in two years, to 2.0.

"I think if we're talking about extracurricular," Dunphy said, "'extra' is the point. And I would really like to say that an average expectation is the right one to have at minimum for our clubs and our sports."

Holland shared data on the GPA requirements for schools in the Northeast Ohio Conference, the athletic conference to which Cuyahoga Falls belongs.

"When the school district originally entered into the grade point average of the 1.5 [in November 2003]," Holland said, "we didn't do it cavalierly. We looked at all the demands on the children that are involved."

Hudson High School, Holland said, has a 1.2 GPA requirement and the district boasts an "excellent" rating from the Ohio Department of Education. North Royalton's GPA requirement is 1.0 and also has been designated "excellent" by the ODE. Stow-Munroe Falls High School's 1.5 GPA requirement mirrors Cuyahoga Falls present policy. The Ohio High School Athletic Association requires students to pass five one-credit courses in the preceding grading period to participate in athletics.

This fall, Holland reported 266 Falls High School students participated in sports; 17 of those players had a GPA of 1.5 to 1.99, the superintendent said.

"Those 17 kids are better served if we help them get to a 2.0 than if we say, 'Stay at your 1.5 and play,'" Dunphy said.

Board member Barbara Gunter said she believes Dunphy's proposal "is worth considering," applauding its phased-in approach.

Referring to the 17 students in fall athletics with a GPA ranging from 1.5 to 1.99, Gunter said she would accept the challenge of raising those youngsters' grades.

When a student's GPA drops below 1.5, Holland said, the youngster is required to participate in mandatory intervention. The student meets with an intervention specialist three to five times a week, the superintendent said, adding as long as the pupil makes satisfactory progress, he or she may continue in sports or extracurriculars.

Board member Kellie Patterson asked how many students would become ineligible for extracurricular activities, like band, if the minimum GPA were raised as Dunphy has proposed. Patterson asked the superintendent to provide those figures by the next Board meeting. Gunter said she anticipates that will be a low number.

"But those are the kids that need the activities," Holland said, "in order to stay in school."

The superintendent said the 1.5 minimum GPA requirement "has been successful for us. We've been successful in keeping our kids involved but also in working to bring the bar up and if it's not broken, why change it? But it's up to this Board."

Board member Bob Heath noted several years ago the School Board had considered changing the minimum GPA requirement, but decided to stay at 1.5.

Describing himself as very "athletically-minded," Heath said, "Athletics do mean a lot to this community." Therefore, Heath said he would prefer to see the minimum GPA remain at 1.5. Heath said he believes some students will not achieve academically, despite intervention, and said he thinks to deprive them of success via athletics would be wrong.

The Dec. 5 Board meeting will be conducted in the Cuyahoga Falls High School Library, 2300 Fourth St., starting at 6:30 p.m.

E-mail: ewalsh@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-686-3908