Florida students get pass on state exams this year due to coronavirus, governor says

ORLANDO, Fla. — Students across Central Florida are learning from home and will not have to take any more state tests this school year.

Gov. Ron DeSantis canceled the exams as school campuses were closed because of the coronavirus.

During a typical school year in Florida, many students would spend the spring working on state exams. Except this year has been anything but typical.

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“Everyone is dealing with so many other stresses, why add stress?” said Orange County mother Amber Lyons.

The Department of Education said high school seniors who still need to pass certain exams will be allowed to graduate, as long as they make the grade otherwise and have the credits.

And third graders who normally have to take the reading and writing test to move on to fourth grade, can still move forward, as long as their parents, teachers and administrators sign off.

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“I just think this is a really amazing opportunity for teachers to try things that they wouldn't normally get a chance to do,” said Kathleen Oropeza, with Fund Education Now.

The test results also impact some teacher evaluations, which the state says will be waived.

And for the first time since the program started, school grades will not be issued for this year, meaning district grades won't be issued either.

In the past, real estate agents have said that some families look for that information when deciding where to buy a home.

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