With many revisions being made to North Carolina’s public school system, exams have been a popular topic at First Flight High School. Parents, teachers and students alike are all being hit with the news.

Originally, only select exams were mandatory and students were able to be exempt from the others depending on their grades and absences. Now, according to the state, all core classes will have mandatory tests, which come with many rules and regulations.

“This year there are going to be a lot more exams than in previous years. Additional End of Course exams (EOC) have been added and there are also going to be common exams that will be state required,” testing coordinator Lisa Wheless said. “The common exams will be 25 percent of the student’s final grade.”

One problem that the exams pose this year is attendance. Exams will start one day earlier than normal. This has caused some confusion about the last days of school.

“All days of school are still regular days, even the exam and exam makeup days. We will be taking attendance and all the rules and procedures still apply,” principal Arty Tillett said.

The common exams add to the EOCs that are already in place and will require students to take more exams than they are used to.

“Students can expect to have a test in almost every class and that the exemption rules only apply to exams that aren’t EOCs or common exams,” Wheless said.

A recipient of the Race to the Top program, North Carolina has been motivated to improve their school system according to Wheless. Race to the Top is a school reform program designed to improve teaching and learning in America’s schools. These improvements include changing the way exams are given.

“The changes are just now being implemented, they’ve been in the planning process for years,” Tillett said.

According to the North Carolina Board of Education, the new assessments will require students to demonstrate thinking and problem-solving skills. Also, more emphasis will be put on the assessments to determine the next appropriate steps for learning.

Said Tillett, “We hope over time the exams will increase the level of learning that takes place, because of the new curriculum and proven instructional strategies, that will increase the rigor and relevance in North Carolina.”

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