Dear North Mecklenburg High School families,

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 End-of-Course assessment and 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’ for those who have been granted an exemption.
• Students who participate and complete Advanced Placement exams may choose to take the teacher-made final to include in their final grade for the class. 

Parents and students are encouraged to review current progress in PowerSchool to see if students are 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.  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 Form if the student has met the academic criteria.  Medical Hardship requests must be submitted to your student’s assigned counselor no later than January 5, 2023, and student eligibility for a final exam exemption will be reviewed and communicated by January 8, 2023.

Finally, it is important to note that the final exam exemption is only for non-state required assessments. Students enrolled in End-of-Course tested subjects are required to take final exams regardless of the number of absences. The QR code below identifies those courses that students are required to take a final exam  per state statute.

Students who meet the criteria for a final exam exemption will receive communication from their assigned teacher before the beginning of the final exam window.  Please contact your assigned counselor if you have questions regarding the final exam exemption process or to submit a request for Medical Hardship.