This may be the last year Glacier and Flathead high school students can opt out of final exams based on attendance.

During a school board work session Tuesday, Glacier Principal Callie Langohr and Flathead Principal Pete Fusaro presented a proposal to discontinue the attendance incentive. Since 2005, that incentive allowed students who did not exceed a certain number of absences each semester to be exempt from final exams.

Both schools came to a consensus that all students, regardless of attendance, should take final tests. Fusaro said that removing the attendance incentive also may change perceptions that final exams are a punishment for missing school; instead they prepare students for college.

“I saw kids graduate with a 3.8 GPA from high school and never take a single exam, but when they get to college, what do you take — pretty much exams — and they were definitely not prepared for their first year so they definitely had to study and that’s part of the impetus looking at this,” Fusaro said.

The change should be reflected in each school’s 2014-15 student handbook, which will come before the board for a vote on July 15.

Both high schools have spent several months surveying staffers, students and parents while re-evaluating attendance policies and procedures.

“Assessments themselves have changed significantly over the last 20 years,” district Superintendent Darlene Schottle said. “Twenty years ago a final assessment was a good portion of a final grade. In the past years, assessments have changed to be more formative, to guide instruction. It could be cumulative to see which, and what, amount of skills a student has acquired.”

Currently at Flathead, students who maintain a minimum “B” average in a class and do not exceed four excused absences per semester are exempt from taking final exams in that class. Students with “C” averages cannot exceed two excused absences to remain exempt from finals.

The attendance incentive is slightly different at Glacier. Students with no more than two excused absences in a class each semester have the option to skip final exams.     

In addition to requiring all students to take finals, Glacier has proposed an academic incentive that creates what Langohr referred to as “academic catch-up days.” Academic catch-up days will be scheduled three times a year if the handbook is approved.

Students eligible for the incentive must earn a minimum “C” average in each class, have no unexcused absences and have clean discipline records.

“It’s a bigger focus on that academic achievement for all students,” Langohr said.

During academic catch-up days, eligible students are not required to attend school. If they choose to attend, they will be able to catch up on their studies with focused instruction, extra lab time or tutoring.

Fusaro said Flathead is still hammering out details on what the school’s student handbook revisions will look like and whether or not they will add different incentives.

Both principals and Schottle agreed that while attendance is important, so is evaluating a student’s learning — whether it’s a final exam or a final project.

The discussion now turns to how improve attendance in ways that aren’t directly tied to academics.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.