NC High Schools Need To Test Before Holiday Break

As educators, we always speak of the summer slide. Research has shown that year-round schools have a great impact due to this long period where they lose information. It’s common sense that one should exercise a muscle to keep it strong. You have to exercise consistently, or you will lose what you have worked so long and hard for. It works the same way for a brain. So, it only makes sense to have exams while information is fresh and current knowledge, and skills are being practiced. Sure, a good teacher creates lessons for his/her students that impact them so greatly they will remember it forever. But there are facts that one must study for and practice everyday. You don’t ask a pro athlete to compete after a month of time where he/she COULDN’T get to the gym or be trained by a coach. Due to inclement weather, exams keep being pushed back making the gap already created by Christmas break larger and larger. These students haven’t even had a chance to be in the classroom to exercise their brain. This needs to change, so we can keep these kids encouraged about test taking and so they won’t feel even more anxious about the material. Lastly, teachers are working so hard to help these children, but let’s face it, a teacher’s super hero power can’t control Mother Nature, but they should be able to control when they should administer a test based on the well being of their students.

As a retired community college instructor i can tell you this is the only sensible solution.

They also risk Spring Break if we miss lot due to snow. We have to wiggle room if we get an early start then you would get more room

Please make this common sense decision!

Think about what is best for students not businesses

Totally agree and this would put college schedules in line for early grads

Give local LEAs the flexibility to design their school calendars!

I have been pushing for this for years

As a student who has been in in multiple school systems, I have to say testing before Christmas break has helped me. Having to wait until after holidays to test is stressful because I end up spending majority of my break trying not to forget everything I have learned before I have exams. In addition it is dangerous for driving students (especially those with little experience) to drive to school on Icey roads. Just recently I was driving to school and my car caught a patch of black ice, I ran halfway off the road and almost into a ditch. I was lucky, some of my friends weren’t so fortunate. On the same day a friend of mine also hit a patch of black ice and he ended up wrapping his car around a tree on the way to school. Another couldn’t even get out of her driveway and was stuck at home until her roads cleared. She was deprived of being able to review for her exams while everyone else was being offered help at school. If schools had been able to call a delay without worrying about conflicting exam reviews and testing then these things could have been avoided. Those are just a few reasons why a change in schedules for NC exams is necessary.

We need to do what is best for the students and give them every opportunity to succeed. Having to take exams with only school days since Christmas break is not what’s best for them. Even without the inclement weather, havubf a 2 week break and co,INC back for 2weeks makes no sense. Try it. Let the scores speak for themselves. Let the school systems do what is best for students.

We would also like the state to allow our entire county- all schools- to start earlier in August. Our high schoolers help care for younger siblings, so we need all schools on the same calendar.

This has been has been an ongoing issue ever since the first year the law was enacted. Please take actions to give school calendar decisions back to local boards of educations.

I am a Biology teacher. This is THE most frustrating thing about first semester! Tourism should not be put before our students education!

8 years ago Featured

As a HS student myself, I find it very difficult to motivate myself to study for exams over Christmas break. After all, it is supposed to be a break. It doesn't feel much liek a break when I'm stressing over exams the whole time.

I am a high school teacher in my 21st year of teaching and we need to go back to taking exams before Christmas break. There are numerous reasons why to change back.

Start school earlier so semister ends before Christmas break!

I think it is ridiculous to wait until after Winter break to test the kids for the semester. My daughter goes to the early college high school and their semester ends before Winter break and they start a new one when they get back. Makes much more sense for both students and teachers.

Definitely agree with the earlier start in school to help students complete exams before winter break.

This need to happen... it’s the way when it was when I was in school and it worked GREAT! Just like colleges

I support finishing fall semester and exams prior to holidays.