Our district is trying to make a similar move. Other districts ae moving that way, and AP timing is part of it. (Here's a notion: why don't the APs move? Oh yeah, scores would come out too late.) Here moving mid year exams would turn our Thanksgiving break in the studying time for students, they'd still have 3-4 days of tests, right around the same time as the ACT and when all the performing arts groups are having their holiday performances. Our music ensembles actually earn money all through December performing at centers, meetings, events, and parties.
We currently go about 3weeks beyond APs, seniors even less. The nice thing for underclass AP students (in classes where the majority are seniors) is that they take their final exam in mid-May, and the actual final is not an exam at all (they have to go, but might watch a movie or turn in last-minute stuff)
There is a small contingent in the district--I'm in it--that wonder whether moving finals only moves the stress. We suggest eliminating mid-year exams altogether. It would allow the school year to start about the same time as currently (if not later) and not lose time to review and testing. Only one-semester classes would have finals in January.
The administration seems to be warming to that idea. We found support in universities that are minimizing final exams.
Back to your original "Whew", well, "whew" is right. DS finished junior year by the skin of his teeth. We went through the process to enter SpEd for senior year, and he lost several periods of classes for the testing and meetings. Part of the testing was SB-5 and W-J and more, so we finally have actual numbers for him. (Turns out that last year, when his old counselor looked at his English grades and said "well, clearly he's not the smartest kid in the class", I was correct in responding "well, actually, he may BE the smartest kid in the class".)
DS got great grades and comments on the few English poems and essays he DID do, and barely passed so he doesn't have to do a Credit Recovey online this summer. Whew.
We had switched him to audit AP physics since he was failing mid-semester, and sure enough he would have failed the entire semester, despite 104% on the final; anxious to see the AP scores in July: they take the exams for 1 and 2. Even though he does not have the second semester credit, he doesn't have the combo of no credit AND an F to drag his GPA further into the dirt. And he has, we hope, a decent AP score.
He started taking medication for anxiety. He was accepted into SpEd and we just received the IEP; the main gist is enrollment in a highly structured and supportive study hall. I have so many questions about the IEP, and they have to wait until staff is back in August.
He's taking two online courses this summer (one semester each) to fulfill graduation requirements, because the B&M classes totally conflict with his AP and "beyond AP" classes next year.
I'm exhausted. So is he. He is so relieved to have everyone off his back, he's almost bouncy.
