Exam Exemption

Dear Parents/Guardians,

At the start of the 2023-2024 school year, CMS updated the CMS Grading Plan that included the exemption of a high school final exam for courses that do not have a state-required or EOC assessment if a student met the criteria identified below before the beginning of the exam window:

• Students with a grade of an ‘A’ (90%) or above and no more than 3 absences.
• Students with a grade of a ‘B’ (80%) or above with no more than 1 absence. 
• Students would have the option to take the final exam to improve their grade rather than the exemption.  If a student chooses to take the exam, CMS grading practices are followed, and the exam counts for 20% of the student’s final grade.   Otherwise, the final grade for the course is calculated as follows: 50% quarter 1 + 50% of quarter 2.  The final exam grade in PowerSchool will be noted with an ‘EX’ flag for those who have been granted an exemption.

Parents are encouraged to review their child’s current progress in PowerSchool and can see if their child is potentially eligible for the exemption by reviewing the grade in the ‘F1’ column as well as reviewing the number of absences accumulated during the semester.  However, please understand that teachers do not have to have grades finalized in PS at this time, so final grades may change as grades are entered. For students that have a significant undue hardship with attendance due to a medical concern, the principal may exempt the student from participating in a non-EOC/state-required final exam pending the review of medical documentation through a Medical Hardship and if the student has met the academic criteria.  Medical Hardship requests must be submitted by December 12, 2023.

Finally, it is important to note that the final exam exemption is only for non-state-required assessments. Our Math III students are required to take the state-required End of Course Math III assessment. This policy has no impact on CPCC courses or final exams. 

We are asking teachers to have grades finalized in PS by 12/14 so that students who meet the criteria for a final exam exemption can receive communication from their teacher on December 15th. Since our final exams begin on 12/18, eligible students will need to let their teacher(s) know on 12/15 if they plan to take the exam or take the exemption. Please contact Principal Bambauer if you have questions regarding the final exam exemption process or if you are considering a request for Medical Hardship.

Sincerely,

Mr. Bambauer