Volusia County Schools has established a schedule for state tests for the remainder of the school year to allow for social distancing during test administration. The daily spring testing schedules for elementary, middle, and high school can be found on the VCS website at https://www.vcsedu.org/REA/assessment (see Testing Calendars).
“The Florida Statewide Assessments required by state and federal law are more critical than ever so that educators and parents can measure progress and determine what additional services and supports students need to be successful,” said VCS Superintendent Dr. Scott Fritz.
A recent Executive Order issued by Gov. Ron DeSantis extends the spring state testing windows for Florida State Assessments by two weeks to allow for further flexibility for makeups, if needed.
With that extension, test results will be released by the state later than originally scheduled. Grade 3 ELA assessment results will now be available no later than June 30, and results of the remaining state assessments will be released by July 31.
The Florida Department of Education has not made allowances for statewide assessments to be taken remotely, even by students enrolled in a virtual learning option. VCS respects the decisions of Volusia Live and Volusia Online Learning parents who do not feel safe bringing their child in for face-to-face testing.
However, it is important to note that students must still meet assessment requirements for graduation, promotion, and program decisions. This is especially important for third-grade students who must demonstrate reading proficiency to be promoted to fourth grade and high school students working toward meeting graduation requirements. See graduation requirements here: https://www.vcsedu.org/school-counseling/graduation-requirements.
VCS has stringent Safety & Health Procedures designed to keep students and employees safe. Those include mandatory face-coverings, social distancing measures, frequent hand washing, and regular cleaning at schools. Schools will be closely following these procedures during spring testing, and parents are encouraged to remind their children to follow these safety steps, as well. Anyone who is sick should stay home!
