LCSD Excellence March 2020 Special Edition LCSD Excellence March 2020 Issue VIII | Page 17

Carey M. Wright, Ed.D., State Superintendent of Education Office of Communications & Government Relations Patrice Guilfoyle, APR, Director of Communications [email protected] Jean Cook, APR, Director of Public Relations [email protected] NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Release: March 26, 2020 Mississippi State Board of Education Suspends Key Policies to Manage Impact of Extended School Closures JACKSON, Miss. – The Mississippi State Board of Education (SBE) today suspended several statewide policies to manage the impact of extended school closures due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) public health crisis. The policy suspensions apply only to students and educator candidates in the 2019-20 school year and educator preparation program applicants through December 2021. Below is a summary of the key statewide policy suspensions enacted today. View the SBE meeting back-up material on the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) website for full details and a complete list of SBE policy suspensions for the 2019-20 school year. Graduation for the Class of 2020 Current seniors who meet all district and state requirements may graduate this school year. The requirement that students take end-of-course assessments in Algebra I, English II, Biology and U.S. History has been suspended for seniors because these assessments cannot be administered in spring 2020. Statewide, students are required to earn a minimum of 24 Carnegie units to graduate. Students Scheduled to Take High School End-of-Course Assessments Any student in grades 7 through 12 who is currently enrolled in Algebra I, Biology, English II and/or U. S. History during the 2019-20 school year will not be required to take and/or pass the corresponding end-of-course subject area test(s) or meet one of the options in lieu of passing the test(s) to meet graduation requirements. High School Credits (Carnegie Units) School districts shall determine a process for awarding a Carnegie unit credit for courses that are incomplete for school year 2019-20. Local school boards have the authority to suspend or amend their graduation policies for the 2019-20 school year, provided the policies continue to meet state standards. 3 rd Graders Current 3 rd graders will be promoted to 4 th grade for the 2020-21 school year if the student meets all other district requirements for promotion. Central High School Building  359 North West Street  P.O. Box 771  Jackson, MS 39205-0771