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Larimer and Weld counties, Colorado

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Loveland

Thompson board weighs lower SAT math cut score for graduation

·Loveland·Larimer County

From the Thompson School District Board of Education meeting of

The proposed policy would set the SAT math cutoff at 480 and restore the diploma of distinction for students graduating from 2026 through 2029. The changes received first readings and are not final.

The Thompson School District Board of Education on Nov. 4 heard first readings of policy changes that would lower the SAT math cut score used for graduation requirements to 480 and restore the diploma of distinction for the classes of 2026 through 2029.

A staff member said the district needed to revise the policy on college and career ready demonstrations, known as IKF-E1, after the State Board of Education approved a change in SAT math cut scores. The IKF-E1 briefing memo says the state board had lowered those scores temporarily and has now made the change permanent. Another staff member said the SAT's shift to computer-based testing prompted the temporary change, and that the adaptive test gives all students a first section and adjusts later sections to their performance, so the score change reflects a changed assessment.

One board member said lowering the required scores was disconcerting. "I find it sort of disconcerting that we're lowering the required scores for things with what we've talked about as far as being career and college ready and stuff like that," the member said. Director Mike Scholl said the district was changing the cutoff to comply with the state score students are required to meet. A board member said they wished the district could point to standards set elsewhere rather than changing its own, but said the district was proceeding with the change.

The proposed graduation requirements policy, IKF, would include the diploma of distinction only for the graduating classes of 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029. The briefing memo says the previously passed requirements omitted it for those classes. A staff member called the omission an oversight and said the district had not intended to eliminate the diploma.

Scholl said last year's diploma changes applied to current freshmen, the class of 2030, while the diploma of distinction remained an option for students graduating through 2029. He said the update corrects the policy language rather than adding a new option.

A board member said the change would move the cut score from about 500 to 480. The member said a decision on workplace-readiness standards was still pending and that the change under discussion addressed only math.

The IKF-E1 memo says the change will need to be communicated to high school counselors and administrators.

The district also proposed retiring a related regulation, IKF-R, because the same language is already in IKF-E1.

More from this meeting

  1. Thompson School District Board of Education study session, Nov. 4, 2026

    Thompson schools face $91.8 million in ADA work, with funding identified only for first phase; Thompson school board weighs keeping Mary Blair name for new campus; Thompson schools weigh modern band and advanced psychology courses.

  2. Item 4.1Thompson schools face $91.8 million in ADA work, with funding identified only for first phase

    The first stage calls for accessible parking and exterior routes at each site, plus interior routes to a classroom and assembly area and an accessible toilet room at each school, within five years.

  3. Item 4.2Thompson school board weighs keeping Mary Blair name for new campus

    The committee recommended retaining the former school's name, with two versions for the board to consider. The one-time signage expense is estimated at $5,000, and implementation is proposed to begin Nov. 18.

  4. Item 4.3Thompson schools weigh modern band and advanced psychology courses

    The band course carries a proposed $15 supply fee and would count for fine arts credit. The psychology class may be paired with college credit if its instructor is approved by a university or partner; the board can approve or deny both proposals.