Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, May 3, 1990 TAG: 9005040725
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: W5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CHARLES STEBBINS CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: NEW CASTLE LENGTH: Medium
Final exams have been required in the sixth through 12th grades.
Superintendent Dallas Helems told members of the board that it takes about two weeks per year to give exams. That, he said, includes time for preparation, giving the exams to students and grading.
"I think that time could be put to better use," he said.
Only exams at the end of the semester are affected by the board's decision. Tests throughout the year will continue.
Helems said that without final exams, teachers will be able to continue basic instruction until the last day of the semester. Added instruction time will be more valuable than exams, he said.
Grading will not be adversely affected without exams because final semester grades will be based on tests, Helems said.
Elimination of the exams came about when Helems asked the school board for a nine-week grading schedule instead of the current six-week schedule.
School board members voted against the nine-week schedule, saying they didn't like the time span between tests under such a schedule. But they decided to eliminate the final exams for the six-week schedule.
Board members said they feared a student failing a class would get too far behind before tests grades would show problems under the nine-week schedule.
Board members also discussed mailing test grades to parents but said postage costs would make that prohibitive.
Helems had asked for a nine-week schedule so there could be longer blocks of time to cover more material in special courses that do not run a full semester.
Craig's schools have used a nine-week grading schedule before but changed to the six-week system because of the length of time between test grades, board members recalled.
by CNB