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Lane Tech's LSC Votes to Eliminate Class Rankings

By Patty Wetli | February 22, 2013 10:09am
 The Lane Tech High School's Local School Council agreed to eliminate class rank in order to reduce student stress.
The Lane Tech High School's Local School Council agreed to eliminate class rank in order to reduce student stress.
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ROSCOE VILLAGE — Lane Tech College Prep Principal Christopher Dignam asked his Local School Council Thursday night to lift one burden from students: class rankings.

"I'm concerned about the stress our students are under," said Dignam, citing the pressure to get good grade-point averages and excel on college entrance exams.

"In the long run, it's not helping our kids," he said.

In making his case to members of the council, Dignam said an increasing number of colleges and universities no longer take class rank into account when assessing applicants.

The sheer size of Lane Tech's student body — enrollment tops 4,300 — also skews class rankings in a way that does a disservice to high achievers, Dignam said.

"We have a thousand kids per grade level," he noted. "We could have 10 kids tied for second. The 25th kid is actually No. 4."

The council found merit in Dignam's proposal, approving it unanimously.

"Class rank is probably a good thing for the top 10 percent and a negative for the rest," said Tony Torres, a parent representative on the council. He added that Lane's peers, such as Northside College Prep, have also eliminated class rank.

Lane administrators will now work to implement the change for the 2013-14 school year.