Changes are in store for January exams
By Hannah Bensen, Editor in Chief
For students enrolled in year-long courses, Galileo tests will not be used as part of their exam scores in January.
Previously, the online testing system called Galileo was a required part of the exam grade at the end of each semester for most non-AP core classes. Now, Galileo testing will only be used as a part of the exam grade for semester classes. Year-long classes will still take the Galileo tests in January, but not as part of the exam. Instead, year-long classes will administer the test during a month-long window. Each year-long course will determine how Galileo will count, whether it is for a homework grade or a test grade.
Second semester exams, however, will require all classes, including year-long courses, to count Galileo as part of the exam grade.
These changes were made due to concerns that students were being graded on skills that they had not yet been taught in year-long classes.
“Galileo is designed to be a formative tool,” said Tracey Conners, West Bend High School Interim Principal. “It’s like the scoreboard at halftime.”
“It’s like the scoreboard at halftime.”
– Tracey Conners, Interim Principal
In this way, Galileo can be used in the beginning of the year to see what students know and what skills should be emphasized. It also projects the goal of what should be learned throughout the year. The mid-year exam is a checkup, and the end-of-year exam shows what students have learned.
Students will now receive the Galileo test during the year to see the progress that they have made, but the test will not affect their exam grades. Since semester classes are done with all their material in January, Galileo can be used as part of the exam grade.
An exam grade cannot be comprised solely of Galileo testing, according to Conners. There must also be a Part B section, which is usually a written part.
Semester one exams are January 17-19. The daily schedules, including the length of each exam, is currently undecided.
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