The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Board of Education approved a plan for optional summer remediation and retesting during their meeting on Tuesday night.
The Summer Program gives students that were not proficient in their end-of-year exams an opportunity to get extra help and retake their tests. The optional program is available to any student who passed a subject but was not proficient on the corresponding exam, although remediation is required before retesting. Retesting will count towards a school’s achievement scores.
This year’s remediation will take place in separate sessions on May 27 and 28, with the latter day being exclusively for students who need remediation in multiple subjects. Normal transportation and child nutrition services will be provided on both days. Students will take remediation and retesting on their own school campuses.
Summer remediation and retesting are popular with educators, with about 75% of principals requesting that it be offered this year. The programming can have massive positive benefits for both students and schools. In 2023, 1,209 extra students achieved proficiency through the program, and five schools improved their school performance grades as a result. For one of them, it was enough to get off the Low-Performing Schools list.
The board members were also broadly supportive of the program, seeing it as an extension of the district’s mission to teach any student who is willing to learn and help them achieve their goals.
“As a former teacher, I want to be a voice for our students,” Board Member Susan Miller said. “I believe in second chances, and I do believe the students benefit from this greatly.”
Also on the board’s agenda for the evening were:
- The Glenn High School theatre program performing a selection from “Sister Act”
- Special recognitions for State IB, Read to Achieve, and CTE Bonus recipients
- Discussion of a FY2025 budget amendment and transfer
- Approval of Duke Energy easing agreements for Reynolds High School exterior lighting and a contract for a generator replacement at Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy
The Board of Education will meet again on Tuesday, March 25 at 6:30 pm.