Proposed changes to testing requirements may help students graduate
Some changes to testing requirements may help struggling seniors get across the finish line this year and graduate.
On April 25, School District of Lee County Superintendent Dr. Christopher Bernier said that the district received information the prior week regarding an amendment to House Bill 1537, which if passed, will make some changes related to the district’s graduation requirements for this year’s senior class.
In response, the school board supported Bernier writing a letter to the Lee County Legislative delegation regarding the concordance scores, an addition by State Rep. Ralph Massullo.
“If that passes it will provide additional cut scores for our students to be able to qualify for graduation. So, if they did not pass the Algebra EOC (end of course exam), they will get an additional pert score and other scores. If they get that score it will replace the need to pass Algebra EOC,” Bernier said.
In addition, the district received information on April 25 that the 10th grade FAST exam also will be eligible for any student who has not yet passed English Language Arts or Math.
“There will be another opportunity to take that test, as well. That is very, and sort of highly unusual for the state to open that opportunity to our seniors, but we are going to make sure we avail that,” he said.
The district also is helping seniors with their upcoming SAT and ACT tests.
“If parents have registered a senior who needs a concordance score, we will be paying that registration fee for them, or paying that registration fee for their student because we have to get as many of our kids across the finish line as possible,” Bernier said.
As of April 25, HB1537 had been added to the State House’s third reading agenda.
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