No more valedictorian, class ranks at Kankakee High School

KANKAKEE, Ill. (AP) - Kankakee High School will no longer have a valedictorian or salutatorian and is switching to a college-style Latin laude system starting with this year's freshman class.

The (Kankakee) Daily Journal reports the Kankakee school board made the decision last week to eliminate class rankings of students from No. 1 down based on grade-point averages. In its place will be honors recognizing everyone who scores at a certain threshold. School boards nationwide have taken similar steps to reduce pressure on students to achieve a top rank.

Superintendent Genevra Walters says the policy will let students take classes they're interested in instead of courses to achieve a higher rank.

The high school still will track rankings for colleges. But Walters says colleges have been relying less on rankings for admissions and scholarships.

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Information from: The Daily Journal, http://www.daily-journal.com