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ONE THAT SCHOOL OFFICIALS SAY IS OVERDUE. GRADUATION, IT IS THE HIGHLIGHT OF A STUDENT’S ACADEMIC CAREER AND ALONG WITH A DIPLOMA, STUDENTS FIND OUT WHEN -- WHERE THEY ARE RANKED AMONG CLASSMATES. HOWARD COUNTY SAYS THAT IS ABOUT TO BE A PRACTICE OF THE PAST. >> MANY OF OUR STUDENTS WERE HAVING ANXIETY AND STRESS AROUND THIS. TIM: THAT IS WHAT LED IN PART TO THE POLICY CHANGE. >> WE WANT STUDENTS TO TAKE HIGH LEVEL AND RIGOROUS COURSEWORK AND YOU MISTREAT THAT ON THEIR TRANSCRIPTS, WE WILL TAKE THAT ONE PIECE OF INFORMATION OFF. >> MEMBERS OF THE HOWARD COUNTY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION WHO SAT ON THE POLICY COMMITTEE WERE AMONG THOSE IN SUPPORT OF REMOVING THE SYSTEM. >> MY SON GRADUATED AND HE WAS NOT NEVER WENT BUT HE WAS NOT ONE -- NUMBER 300. I DON’T THINK IT WEIGHED TOO HEAVILY ON HIM BUT IT WAS THERE. TIM: PARENTS OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN SAY THEY HAVE MIXED FEELINGS. >> THEY SHOULD KEEP IT BECAUSE IT ALLOWS STUDENTS TO AIM FOR A HIGHER RANKING. THEY CAN WORK TOWARD MOVING UP THE RANKINGS. >> I FEEL THAT BY GETTING AWAY FROM THE RANKING SYSTEM NO ONE FEELS THEY ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PILE. IF YOU ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PILE, YOU WILL BE DEMORALIZED. A TIM: CLASS RANKING WILL BE DONE AWAY WITH AFTER THE CLASS OF 2020 WALKS ACROSS THE STAGE. THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS MAKING POLICY CHANGES THAT WILL AFFECT STUDENTS IN THE LO

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Howard County is announcing its public high schools are doing away with class rankings.Administrators said it's no longer necessary to help get students get into college. The changes are part of a districtwide policy change, one that has been at least two years in the making and long overdue, school officials said."Many of our students were having high anxiety and stress around this," said Kami Wagner, the district's acting coordinator for student support. "While we still report senior grade-point averages, and still certainly want students to take high-level and rigorous coursework and demonstrate that on their high school transcript, we'll just take that one piece of information off of the transcript."Members of the Howard County Education Association, who sat on the policy committee, support removing the class-ranking system."My son just graduated from high school and he was not No. 1, but he was not No. 300 either. I don't think it weighed too heavily on him, but it was there," said Coleen Morris, president of the Howard County Education Association.Parents of elementary school children said they have mixed feelings about the class rankings change."Well, I think they should keep it because it allows students to aim for a higher ranking. If they know where they are at, they can work toward moving up the rankings," said Simone Norrsh, a parent."I feel like getting away from the ranking system, no one feels they're at the bottom of the pile, and if you're at the bottom of the pile, you're going to be demoralized," said Michelle Salmon, a parent.School officials said class rankings will end in Howard County as the Class of 2020 walks across the stage.The school system is also making policy changes that will affect students in the lower grades.