School closing not extended for now, but testing schedules affected

   Gov. Brian Kemp spoke Monday night and did not extend the current statewide school closing beyond March 31, which is less than a week away.

   That was just hours after North Carolina closed schools through May 15 without even finishing out the original two-week suspension of in-person schooling.

   “We are awaiting further direction from the Governor regarding an extension of school closures,” Superintendent Matthew Cooper said Monday.

   As a result of the situation around COVID-19, the SAT and ACT have made significant adjustments to their testing calendars.

   College Board has canceled the May 2 administration of the SAT. 

   The testing organizations also canceled the makeup exams that were scheduled for March 28. 

   They have not yet canceled the June 6 SAT administration, but are continually assessing.

   ACT has rescheduled its April 4 test date to June 13 and may make further adjustments/cancellations as deemed necessary.

   Effective March 19, the University System of Georgia Chancellor approved the temporary adjustment of admission requirements for its institutions in response to the cancellation of the SAT and ACT testing dates.

   “Currently, prospective students applying for admission in fall 2020 will not be required to submit an SAT or ACT score. They do note that, since Georgia Tech and UGA have already admitted their freshmen classes and have students on waiting lists, this change does not affect admissions at those institutions,” said Pam Dalton, Director of Secondary Schools for Habersham County. 

   “Regarding students who are interested in early admissions next year, the impact of the coronavirus situation remains to be seen. Much will depend upon whether the testing agencies are able to resume a normal testing calendar in the summer months.”