SBOE Revises Superintendent's Proposal to Lower Weights of EOC Test on Final Grades of High School Students
After a lengthy discussion, the SBOE rejected Superintendent Woods’ proposal to lower the weights of End of Course (EOC) tests on the final grades of high school students to .01 percent. Woods offered the proposal in response to USED’s rejection of the state’s request to waive federal standardized testing for the 2020 – 2021 school year.
Woods argued that placing a heavy weight on EOC scores on the final grade of a student during a school year in which students are receiving instruction through multiple learning platforms (i.e., in person learning and virtual learning) would not provide useful data on student progress and would increase stress levels on students and teachers. Three superintendents, Dr. Michele Taylor of Calhoun City Schools, Dr. Grant Rivera of Marietta City Schools, and Dr. Morcease Beasley of Clayton County Schools, shared their experience during the pandemic and urged the board to support Woods’ position to lower the weight of testing on final grades.
SBOE members contended that, if there is not a significant weight placed on test scores, students will not try to do well on the test. They further argued that the state will not receive accurate data on student progress and disagreed with Woods’ position that the data would be insignificant due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The votes on Woods’ proposal to lower EOC weights to .01 percent are below. A yes vote is a vote in support of Woods' proposal. The vote was on posting the proposal for public comment, not for final approval of the assessment changes:
- Mike Long – No
- David “Butch” Mosely – Yes
- Helen Odom Rice – No
- Lisa Kinnemore – No
- Kenneth Mason – No
- Scott Sweeney – Yes
- Mike Royal – No
- Jason Downey – Did not vote – not present
- Martha Zoller – Yes
- Lee Anne Cowart – No
- Scott Johnson – No
- Trey Allen – No
- Leonte Benton – Did note vote – not present
- Phenna Rene Petty – Yes
