RATIONALE/OBJECTIVE:

Accurate assessment of the competency development of students involved in the instructional program is considered a prime responsibility of professional personnel of the Cobb County School District (District). The District’s high school teachers are responsible for accurately assessing the developing student competency in each course of study that they teach and for complying with the high school requirements established by the Georgia Board of Education.

RULE:

A. ASSESSMENTS:

    The assessments administered to high school students should fulfill the following criteria:
    1. All courses should have periodic assessments throughout the grading period;
    2. All courses should have a final assessment each semester that covers all state
        standards and objectives for the course of study as established by the District.
    3. Some core courses specified by the Georgia Board of Education (in accordance with
       O.C.G.A  20-2-240: 20-2-281) shall use the End-of-Course Test (EOCT) as the final
       exam in the course. Individual scores will be provided on each EOCT taken. Student
       scores must be recorded on, in, or with the individual student report card.
    4. A student’s numeric score on the EOCT (which replaces any other final exam in the
        course) shall count for 15% of the student final numeric grade in the course assessed
        by the EOCT.
   5. All classes not possessing an EOCT shall have a final assessment which counts no less
       than 10% and no more than 20% of the student's final grade. The Principal shall be
       responsible for seeing that there is consistency in the grade percentage of all final
       examinations within the same courses taught in the school.
   6. The Superintendent and or designee is authorized to establish procedures for the Rule 
       to accommodate special education students, transfer students, exemptions related to
       exemplary attendance, and others to assure fairness in the administration of the Rule.

B. PROCEDURES:
    The following procedures shall be observed with regard to the administration of high
    school course final examination:
    1. Transfer Students:
        Students who transfer into the District during the semester with more than two weeks
        remaining in that semester may elect to audit or complete a course for credit. Those
        pursuing credit for the course shall be expected to take a final examination covering
        the course objectives for the semester (in accordance with District Administrative
        Rule IKA [Grading Systems]). Students transferring with two weeks or less remaining
        in the semester will be assigned the grade sent from their previous school.
    2. Comprehensiveness:

        It shall be the responsibility of Principals or designees to develop and implement a

        system to ensure that final examinations given in each course of study are

        comprehensively assessing Georgia and District standards approved for each course.

    3. Notification:

       Students should be advised within the first five (5) days of the semester concerning

       the percentage of the total grade that the final examination will involve.

    4. Access:

       Provisions should be made by each school to assure that students/parents/guardians

       have access to final examinations for at least eleven (11) work days after the

       distribution of report cards at the end of each semester in case they wish to raise

       questions concerning their final grade. This can be accomplished by:

         1. Returning final examination papers to students;

         2. Each teacher maintaining final examination papers for their students; or

         3. Administration maintaining a central school file of final examination papers.

    5. Incentives:

        The Principal or designee is authorized to develop student attendance incentive plans

        that they deem effective for their schools involving exemptions from final

        examinations for students. The Area Assistant Superintendent will coordinate the

        approval process for attendance incentive plans which include final examination

        exemptions.

    6. Special Education:

       Students being served through special education programs shall be involved in final

       examinations as specified in their individualized educational plan. Such students who

       are involved in a general course of study shall be expected to take final examinations

       but may receive prescribed support and assistance from the appropriate special

       education teacher. Students identified for ESOL (English for Speakers of Other

       Languages) programs may be granted testing accommodations based on the written

       recommendations of the ESOL teacher and the content teacher.

Adopted: 8/11/82
Reclassified an Administrative Rule: 9/1/04
Revised: 4/28/83; 8/8/84; 7/10/86; 7/10/91; 7/28/94; 8/13/08