Student tells Waunakee board class‑rank formula can penalize students who take non‑Spanish languages

A Waunakee student raised concerns about the district's class‑rank formula during public comment, saying the calculation gives disproportionate weight to courses the district labels as LA (language arts) and effectively discounts many other course types.

Liam Collins told the board that two students with similar GPAs could receive different class ranks solely because one student's language course was classified differently. He demonstrated the effect with an algebraic example and said the district's approach could prevent some students from qualifying for automatic admission programs that rely on class rank, such as University of Wisconsin guarantees tied to top‑percentile standing. Collins described the system as "an arbitrary system" he called the "Latte system" and urged the district to address the inconsistency and the consequences for current juniors.

Board members listened but did not take immediate action; the comment was placed in the public‑comment record for administrative follow‑up. Administrators did not offer a technical correction to the district's course categorization at the meeting; staff can pull course‑classification and rank‑calculation data and report back to the board if members request a formal review.