The Southampton School Board has officially eliminated class rankings for high school students, a policy that will take effect with next year’s freshmen.

At the board’s Tuesday night meeting, its members unanimously approved a policy that will abolish the traditional high school ranking system. According to a copy of the policy, the school will keep a private record of rankings that will not be available to the public and will not be included on a student’s high school transcript.

The rankings will be accessible with permission from the high school principal if a student needs his or hers for a scholarship or other circumstance, according to the policy.

School Board Vice President David Dubin said that the policy was a recommendation of the board’s academic advisory committee. It was introduced to the board late last year.

“It seems from the research they performed to be the trend in high schools these days,” Mr. Dubin said. “Many high schools are doing away with class ranks, and many colleges are less interested in class rank than in years past.”

Next year’s freshman class, the class of 2014, will be the first without rankings, Mr. Dubin said.

He noted that the board will be implementing another policy to distinguish high-achieving students—inscribing summa cum laude and magna cum laude on diplomas. He said the board will be discussing when to begin that policy in coming board meetings.