INTRODUCTION

In October 2004 the North Carolina State Board of Education (SBE) approved using the five required end-of-course (EOC) assessments and a senior project as the framework for the new high school exit standards. The five required EOC assessments are Algebra I, Biology, English I, Civics & Economics, and U.S. History. The senior project will be a performance-based component that can include service-based learning or work-based learning experiences. The senior project will be developed, monitored, and scored locally using state adopted rubrics.

The SBE is requesting your feedback on proposed implementations of the exit standards that will be required for students to graduate from high school. The new exit standards will only apply to students following the Career Preparation, College Technical Preparation, or College University Preparation courses of study. Students following the Occupational Course of Study are required to meet rigorous exit standards as established by the State Board of Education. The exit standards implementation plan is scheduled to be adopted in 2005. Students entering the ninth grade for the first time in 2006–07 will be required to meet the new exit standards.

This survey is the first step in a series of activities that the SBE will undertake to ensure that they have gathered feedback from a variety of stakeholders including the education community, parents, and concerned citizens who have an interest in the requirements that will be necessary for students to complete in order to graduate from high schools in our state. Other activities to gather feedback include six regional information sessions that will be conducted in January 2005. Public notice about these meetings will be sent to all local school systems’ central offices and will be posted in local and regional newspapers.

To view the complete High School Exit Standards Implementation Proposals, please use the following URL http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/policyoperations/exitstandards/. If you have questions about the High School Exit Standards Implementation Proposals, please contact either Lou Fabrizio, Director of Accountability Services, at lfabrizio@dpi.state.nc.us or Wandra Polk, Assistant Director of Instructional Services, at wpolk@dpi.state.nc.us.