The crusade against meritocracy, and for mediocrity, in our schools reached a new level this month. The highly regarded Cherry Creek School District in Arapahoe County – respected by many schools, teachers and parents across the state – announced it was ditching the traditional recognition of valedictorian, salutatorian and class rank.

Beginning in 2026, Cherry Creek will no longer recognize premier academic achievers, gauged by grade-point-average, in its high schools. The district said the aim is to avoid the “outdated” practice of valuing class rank.

“(Valedictorian status is)… inconsistent with what we know and believe of our students,” a district letter reads. “We believe all students can learn at high levels, and learning is not a competition.”

A lot of dedicated Cherry Creek parents probably were left wondering why valuing class rank is supposed to be diametrically opposed to the value of believing “all students can learn at high levels.” For years, Cherry Creek and other districts have motivated students and families of all socio-economic and racial backgrounds, in part by having valedictorian and class-rank competitions. It’s not the end all be all, as students everywhere can self-actualize via other avenues of academic success, athletic accomplishment and extracurricular excellence. But class rank was – like trying to make the cut for the basketball team – a carrot students of a particular predisposition could strive for to be recognized as exemplary among their peers.

Not super athletic? That’s OK, study hard! Don’t come from money? No worries, hit the books more than your friends.

As a result of this statistically-representative incentive, all students are lifted up via healthy, positive competition. As in nature, sports and business, competition brings out the best in students. And, given a graduation rate above 90% in the Cherry Creek district, officials there no doubt value the competitive edge that high level of performance provides against other districts. They may not put it that way for public consumption – but you know it’s more than just a point of pride. It’s front and center in the district’s marketing.

Learning is a competition. First and foremost, it’s a competition with a student’s self to be better than they were yesterday, on that last exam and compared to the previous semester. Learning as a competition is not only a way to encourage individuals to be better, but it’s also a variable by which hard-working individuals can be recognized.

As news of Cherry Creek’s policy shift went viral nationally, a district spokesperson rationalized it to Newsweek by saying the district is “committed to helping all students find their unique pathway to the future they envision.”

Yet, by eliminating valedictorian and class rank, the district is removing a unique pathway for those students who see the class-rank competition as their way to a future they envision. It’s much like a star quarterback shepherding the football team to a state championship – as his ticket to his dreams.

With this line of thinking, should Cherry Creek get rid of its athletics scoreboard and just roll out the balls and let student-athletes have fun for an hour, or so, sans keeping score? Why is it OK for star athletes to be recognized for their accomplishments, but not star students?

And if the Cherry Creek district is an academic exemplar to struggling schools around the state, what kind of message is this sending to those institutions?

Denver Gazette editorial board