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Swain County schools report gains from retesting pilot; board considers districtwide retest policy

Swain County Board of Education · January 13, 2026
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Summary

District staff presented local EOC retesting data showing growth for many retesters (58% showed improvement; 34% of retesters moved from non-proficient to proficient) and discussed extending retesting to eligible students across the district.

District staff presented early results from a retesting pilot and asked the board to consider expanding retest opportunities for students who score non-proficient on state EOCs and EOGs.

Amelia Allman reported that 239 students took state EOCs this semester in Math I, Math 3, Biology and English 2; 126 were non-proficient. About 40% of non-proficient students and families opted to retest; among those who retested, 58% showed score growth and 34% of retesters moved from non-proficient to proficient. Some English 2 scores were delayed due to constructed-response scoring and were not available at the time of the presentation.

Presenters emphasized a communication challenge: state proficiency cut points differ from local grade conversions, and the state’s algorithm for determining proficiency had not been shared with the district. Trustees discussed how retesting eligibility now only applies to students who were non-proficient (the state no longer allows retests for students seeking to raise a proficient score to a higher level) and asked staff to return with comparative data from neighboring districts as requested.

What happens next: staff will compile comparative data for surrounding counties and return with additional analysis and recommendations about expanding retest opportunities and potential scheduling impacts.