Starting this year, seniors have the opportunity to be exempt from taking their spring semester finals. In order to qualify, seniors must have an 85 or above semester average, and have three or less unexcused absences in second, third, or fourth period and six or less absences in first or fifth period.

Seniors will be notified of the finals that they have been exempt from their teachers, at the teachers own discretion. However, they must notify their students by Monday, May 20.

Seniors do not have to attend the classes they are exempt from on final examination days.

UPDATE: An earlier version of this story inaccurately stated seniors would have to attend class on exempted days.

Students with any ISS, OSS or DAEP assigned days will not be eligible for exemption in any class, regardless of semester grade or class attendance.

Additional information from the Keller ISD Website:

2018-2019 Senior Final Exam Exemption Regulations:

Senior students who meet grade, attendance, and behavior requirements are eligible for final exam exemption.

Senior students must meet all of the following criteria in order to be exempt from a final exam:

  • Have an 85 average in the course;
  • Beginning January 8, 2019, senior students may have no more than three unexcused absences for the second semester of the 2018-19 school year; and
  • Have no ISS, OSS, or DAEP assigned days.
  • The following absences qualify as unexcused absences:
    ABS (Absence)
    MABS (Makeup Absence)
    PRN (Parent Note)
    TRU (Truant)

CTE Courses:

Industry based certification tests may be used in CTE courses to substitute the final exam grade.

Courses not eligible for exemption:

  • Courses that require a capstone assessment, project, portfolio, performance or performance evaluation as a final.
  • Blended Learning Courses.
  • Dual Credit Courses.
  • Online Credit Courses.

Notification of eligibility for senior exemptions:

  • Exemptions will be determined no later than the Monday of the week of final exams.
  • Teachers will notify students of their exemption eligibility.
  • Students who are exempt do not have to attend class the day of the final.

Students who are exempt and choose to take the final exam will not be penalized for any final exam grade that will lower their semester average.