As Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools continues with the return to in-person instruction for students, an area that has required attention is state-mandated testing.
The district's Accountability Team has been in communication with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) regarding the State Board of Education policies and regulations, as well as reviewing state statutes, regarding student testing. There is no provision, at this time, that will allow remote testing for End-of-Grade (EOG) and End-of-Course (EOC) or other assessments that are part of the state's school accountability system. All school districts must administer all state-required assessments in a district facility. There is no waiver for testing this school year. There is no waiver from final exams counting toward a student's final grade.
The in-facility requirement for state-mandated test administration applies to all students, including students registered in the Full Remote Academy. They will be required to return for testing. There is no student/family opt-out option from the state-required testing. If students do not take their final exam, they will receive a zero for their final. If students in EOC courses do not test, students' scores of zero will be used in calculating school accountability ratings.
Full Remote Academy students will be notified by their school about the testing dates. Additional information will be provided in the weeks to come. The district has already put in place specific cleaning measures and other steps to ensure the health and well-being of all school-based staff and students.