MUKILTEO — Beginning with the class of 2008, the rigor of students’ academic loads will figure into their class rankings in the Mukilteo School District.

The school board Monday unanimously approved a "weighted class rank" system that will take into consideration how many honors and college-level advanced placement courses students take and how they fare in those classes.

Kamiak and Mariner high schools still will have a 4.0 grade point system. A separate formula will be used to determine class rank based on grades and difficulty of courses taken.

"At some level, it is fairness for those students who go that extra mile," said Kevin Laverty, a school board member.

Laverty pointed to a survey of Kamiak students that found widespread support for the ranking system.

"I agree with the results they got from the student survey that it’s an idea whose time has come," he said.

"It makes sense to me when you look at those who have worked the hardest and taken more challenging classes," said Geoff Short, a school board member. "I think that’s fair."

Not everyone thinks it is a good idea.

Sarah George graduated in 1999 from Mariner High School and took advanced placement courses. She later graduated from Seattle University with honors.

Even so, she questioned the fairness of the ranking system. She pointed to her brother who is now a sophomore at college.

"He has a different learning style" and only took one such class, she said. "This is not because he was avoiding hard work. He did work hard and was successful in regular classes. His GPA allowed him to graduate in the top 10 percent as well, and he worked just as hard as his friends in AP classes."

His class rank helped him earn a Washington State Promise Scholarship, she said. Her mother, Patty, said her son was proud of his academic accomplishments.

"By weighting class ranking in favor of AP students, you are taking away one small opportunity for an average student who works just as hard to reach their maximum potential," Sarah George said. "I do not believe we should take this away from those students."

District leaders hope the new class-ranking system will encourage students to take harder classes and not worry so much about protecting their grade point averages. They point to studies that suggest that the rigor of a high school schedule is a better predictor of how students will fare in college than grade point average.

Although the rankings don’t begin until 2008, the district will provide an "unofficial" ranking for the classes of 2005 through 2007 to provide students an immediate incentive.

Most students would not see their class ranking change much, according to a mock version of this year’s 480-member Kamiak graduating class. The biggest difference would occur among students in the top 20 percent.

Reporter Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446 or stevick@heraldnet.com.