will be awarded. Generally, Texas courts and the commissioner of education will uphold local decisions that are not arbitrary, capricious, or unlawful. It is also important for districts to specify in their policies how ties for valedictorian or salutatorian will be handled. Often, ties are broken by comparing the number of rigorous courses each student has taken, such as advanced, AP, or dual-credit courses, though the exact method varies by district. If a tie cannot be resolved, some districts recognize all students involved in the tie as valedictorian or salutatorian. Alternatively, districts that want to avoid ties may calculate GPAs to a sufficient number of decimal places. Q: What provisions will I find in Policy EIF regarding graduation? Policy EIF(LEGAL) provides the legal framework for high school graduation, including the state’s minimum requirements for a student to graduate from a Texas high school, called the foundation high school program. While students are required to complete courses mandated by the state under the foundation program, districts have the option to require addi-
tional course credits beyond the state’s minimum requirements. Your district’s choices regarding requirements in addition to the foundation program are found in Policy EIF(LOCAL). Q: Can we change our district’s class rank or graduation policies? Yes, however, TASB Legal Services strongly recommends not changing class rank rules or graduation requirements during a current student’s high school education. If a school board changes its class rank policy midway through students’ high school education, and it makes the change effective immediately upon adoption, students could be negatively affected. These students have already made academic decisions based on the previous policies and relied on them in their pursuit of honors. Legal complaints could be filed. Since academic honors often come with monetary awards, such as scholarships, a student who is denied an honors position due to policy changes may claim monetary damages in a potential lawsuit. When a district plans to change its class rank or graduation policy, including how class rank is calculated and
which classes are considered, TASB Legal Services advises adopting the changes prospectively, applying them only to incoming freshman classes. This approach reduces the risk of litigation by ensuring that current students are not affected by policy changes midway through their high school education. If different calculation methods are used for different graduating classes, the district’s policy should clearly specify which system applies to each cohort of students. If you have questions about these issues, consult your district’s attorney or call TASB Legal Services at 800-580-5345.H This article is provided for educational purposes and contains information to facilitate a general understanding of the law. References to judicial or other official proceedings are intended to be a fair and impartial account of public records, which may contain allegations that are not true. This article is not an exhaustive treatment of the law, nor is it intended to substitute for the advice of an attorney. Consult your own attorney to apply these legal principles to specific fact situations.
Delegate Assembly 2026 NEW membership A new experience is coming. Changes are in the works for your annual membership meeting. Make plans to join us during txEDCON 2026, Oct. 8-11, in Houston. issuu.com/tasb-org | April/May 2026 |
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