Dear Parent or Guardian, With all of us working together to give our students the best possible school year, we would like to share some important information with you. As you may recall, the end-of-grade (EOG) and end-of-course (EOC) tests were canceled due to COVID-19 related school closures last Spring. This was possible because education leaders at the U.S. Department of Education granted a waiver from these tests for the 2019-20 school year.
Recently, the U.S. Department of Education's Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, shared there will not be a waiver from testing for this school year. Students who are receiving instruction are expected to take the EOCS, EOGs, and/or CTEs. Our students who are receiving instruction remotely will go to their schools to take these tests. We understand that you may be concerned about the safety of your students when returning to the school building to take a test. To ensure this is a safe environment for our students, we will ensure health and safety requirements are in place:
• Social Distancing and Reduced Class Size for all exams.
• Face masks are required for all students and staff members.
• Breakfast and lunch will be provided in the classroom.
• Hand sanitizer and restroom breaks will be provided. . Additional cleaning will take place daily.
This school year is like no other, and it is especially important to have test scores that will show you how your student is doing academically. Test scores, combined with other factors, will help you and your student's teacher to make the best decisions for future learning. Based upon the North Carolina State Board of Education and Public Schools of Robeson County School Board's Policies, final exams are required to count as part of the student's final grade.
We are committed to ensuring your student's and your family's health and safety. We also want to make sure we provide each student the opportunity to learn and grow academically during this school year. Should you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to contact your student's school.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Loistene DeFreece, Interim Superintendent