On Tuesday, Sept. 8 the Executive Council, comprised of principals, associate principals and district level administrators, came to a unanimous decision not to offer first semester final exemption to seniors this year.

Seniors did not take the PSAE during their junior year due to new state test requirements. In previous years the exemption was used as an incentive to do well on the PSAE. The district would receive a number from the state for each student that was formulated from the PSAE, workkeys, and ACT. This formula would say if students were below, meeting, or exceding expectations.

The council discussed possibly using the ACT as a basis for an exemption, but the state did not give any reference point for meeting expectations. Without any guidance, the district would be basing the exemption off of an arbitrary number.

“I suppose they’ll [senior students] be upset, because it is something they look forward to. But, I hope they understand that we’re doing what we think is fair,” associate principal for curriculum and instruction Janice Schwarze said.

In the future, the district may look at the PARCC test as a way to form an exemption. Second semester senior final exemptions are based on district policies, so these exemptions will still be available.