NC High Schools Need To Test Before Holiday Break

Do not put off testing. Would rather school start a week earlier.

IMPORTANT TO CHANGE

8 years ago Featured

I'm a high school teacher and I truly believe we should test before the holiday break. Once again our exam schedule is hostage to the unpredictable January weather and our students, as well as educators pay the price in academic continuity and growth.

I have never understood this schedule. It makes much more sense to test before break.

This is an issue that should be responded to and has been called into question for years. Rethink testing in NC!

I have always thought testing should be completed before winter break. Too much lapse for students to retain and come back after a break to test. Mother of 3 children in Cabarrus County Schools.

I graduated from Guilford County Schools two years ago and coming back after a two week break to take exams made for a hard time studying and recalling information. I would always have homework over break, too, since my first semester classes hadn’t ended yet. Let students fully enjoy their time with family over the holidays

As a high school teacher, it would be nice if we could finish the semester before the winter break. It’s like pulling teeth to get students ready for exams after they have not studied during the winter break. Then here comes the snow. Please reconsider.

Whole heartedly agree

Do the right thing for students. Allow local districts to set the calendar that is best for them.

That is what we do in Georgia and it works out very well. We use to live in NC and in an personal comparison, my children are able to be more productive in their testing. if you test after the holiday breaks, it allows more time to study but how often do children study on a holiday vacation? thier minds are able to relax and be ready to start fresh learning new curriculum. The would be the same for the teachers. Let them be able to enjoy the holidays and come back with a fresh mind to recieve more knowledge. I believe this system will help increase test scores. Just my opinion after actually seeing the results in my own children.

We have around 20 to 30 snow days a year and get a waiver to start 5 days early. Due to our rural location most of our students take college classes along with high school classes. Our student miss opportunities since we can not aline with the college schedule. We used to be able to start and get a semester done before Winterbreak and before our massive snow storms in the mountains.

Makes complete sense to start early and have the semester end at the start of winter break.

Our students need to test before Christmas break. It is more reflective of the college schedule that they will eventually encounter.

The focus should be what is best for our students not the tourism industry.

I have 2 kids currently in high school and believe they would do so much better on exams if taken before Christmas Break.

I spent 5th-12th grade in NC GCS public schools and went to a private NC college. I can attest that completing exams before winter break would have been a benefit to my education. NC schools that do not already start earlier should!

I totally agree! We take the students laptops up a week before testing. Basically, we have no textbooks as a study resource for them as all of our textbooks are online, not to mention the lose of instructional time. Our test scores suffer because of these things, but yet teachers and schools are held responsible if test scores are not showing growth. It’s a lose/lose for students, teachers, and schools.

I am both an educator and a parent of a high school student. I feel strongly this will benefit our students! And shouldn’t it be about them? Not about economics or tourism?

The best interest of students should take precedence over everything else!