August 2023
Dear Parent or Guardian,
This letter is intended to inform you that your student will take districtwide and state-mandated tests this school year as reflected online at www.wilkescountyschools.org. You will find a general testing calendar on the Accountability page of Wilkes County Schools website.
Per 16 N.C. Admin Code 06D .0307–Test Administration in Public Schools, “(g) LEAs shall, at the beginning of each school year, provide information to students and parents or guardians advising them of the district wide and State-mandated tests that students will be required to take during that school year. In addition, LEAs shall advise students and parents or guardians of the dates the tests will be administered and how the results from the tests will be used. Also, information provided to parents shall include whether the State Board of Education or the local board of education requires the test(s). (h) LEAs shall report scores resulting from the administration of State mandated tests from the Annual Testing Program to students and parents or guardians no later than 30 days after the test is administered and along with available score interpretation information within 30 days from receipt of the scores and interpretive documentation.”
N.C. Admin. Code 06G .0315 requires all public-school students in membership (i.e., enrolled in a school) in grades 3 through 8 and high school courses requiring an end-of-course assessment, to participate in the Annual Testing Program. North Carolina does not allow any student to opt out of required state testing. The only exceptions granted are for a limited number of students who meet certain eligibility requirements or have extenuating circumstances primarily related to a significant medical emergency or condition and are unable to participate in a specific test administration.
N.C. Admin Code 06D .0309 requires schools to use end-of-course (EOC) tests as “at least twenty percent (20%) of the student’s final grade.” As such, a student’s grade for these courses and overall grade-point-average calculation may be negatively impacted by not taking the required EOC state tests. Wilkes County Schools also includes EOG scores for grades 6-8 as 20% of the final average as well.
Please feel free to contact your child’s school or Wilkes County Schools Accountability Department for more information.