Mansfield Public Schools Eliminating Class Rank System

MANSFIELD (CBS) – Academics are about to get a little less competitive in Mansfield. The school committee has voted to eliminate class rank, starting with the Class of 2023.

Supporters of the change argue class rank can promote unhealthy competition and discourages students from pursuing other interests.

Superintendent Teresa Murphy said in a statement that parents and staff were generally in favor of getting rid of class rank to be aligned with the dozens of other schools in the area that have done the same.

"Holistically speaking, colleges are much more interested in how a student reached their maximum potential and what motivated them," Mansfield High School Principal Watkins said in a statement. "Knowing how a student handles pressure, how they balance their schoolwork with their personal obligations and how they've grown during their high school years is far more valuable information for a college than what an individual rank is at a particular moment in time."

The district does say it will continue to recognize a valedictorian and salutatorian at graduation.