The Selma Times-Journal

The spring 2008 Alabama High School Graduation Exam will be held in Dallas County and Selma City Schools Feb. 29 to March 7.

The testing will cover one subject each day, social studies, science, mathematics, reading, language, or biology.

Testing sites for Dallas County schools are Southside High School in Selma, Keith High School in Orrville, and Dallas County High School in Plantersville.

The testing site for Selma City Schools will be Selma High School.

Lett-Dawson said there have been ongoing tutorial sessions. Next week, students will be having Blitz Week, where every student will take a practice test. Following Blitz Week will be Intervention Week, where the students whose situations are most crucial will work with teachers on their areas of weakness.

This past week a meeting between parents and administrators was held to discuss students who had not yet passed all parts of the exam, with an emphasis on seniors.

Seniors who do not pass all parts of the exam will not be eligible for graduation, Lett-Dawson said, per Alabama state law.

The minimum passing scores for the exam are 563 in reading, 560 in language, 477 in mathematics, 491 in science, and 509 in social studies, according to an online guide, Great Expectations, posted by the Alabama Commission on Higher Education.

Those students can retake the test in the summer, and can continue to take the test until they pass, Lett-Dawson said.

They can also receive tutorial assistance as needed from the system until they pass, Lett-Dawson said.

For students not taking the exam, coming to school is still required. There will be seminars for seniors and the Freshman Academy. &8220;It’s still a very vital school day,&8221; Lett-Dawson said.