GCS offers a comprehensive health education program that aims to provide students with accurate information and encourages them to be responsible for their own health. Our program complies with all requirements of North Carolina state law. 

Program Scope: The program covers all major aspects of healthful living for students from kindergarten through high school. Instruction on gender identity, sexual activity, or sexuality is not included in the curriculum for kindergarten through fourth grade. 

Instruction Focus: The program includes instruction on the benefits of sexual abstinence until marriage, risks of premarital sexual activity, prevention of unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, awareness of sexual assault, sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and risk reduction. 

Parental Involvement: Parents can review all program objectives and instructional materials before they are used with students. Parents also have the right to withdraw their student from participating in the program by writing to the principal. 

Standards for Instruction: Instructors are expected to follow the program objectives and only use the instructional materials that have been made available to parents for review. Information conveyed during instruction will be objective and based upon scientific research that is peer-reviewed and accepted by professionals and credentialed experts in the field of sexual health education. 

For more details, see Board Policy 3540 Comprehensive Health Education Program. 

We are excited about being a one-to-one technology district where every student has their own dedicated device. These devices are used by students to receive information from their teachers, connect to learning applications inside the classroom and at home, and to design and submit work for their classes. Click here for links and log in information. 

For more information about the devices used by students, click on the pages dedicated to the device below. 

• Grades Pre-K to 3: iPads 

• Grades 4 to 12: Chromebooks 

Click here for basic troubleshooting resources. 

For issues, concerns, and assistance with broken, lost or stolen devices, contact your child’s school. 

The Guilford County Board of Education has responsibility to ensure all students receive a sound basic education. This means that students learn the skills needed for higher education and the workforce. 

Promotion Standards: The superintendent develops standards for promoting students to the next grade level. These standards are used by teachers and administrators to assess each student’s readiness to move up. 

Kindergarten through Grade 8: Promotion is based partly on reading proficiency. Multiple criteria are used to assess readiness, including test scores, grades, and a portfolio of the student’s work. 

Grades 9 through 12: Promotion is based on the number of units earned towards graduation. 

Students with Disabilities: These students are held to the same promotion standards as others unless the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) team has determined that a modified curriculum resulting in an alternative assessment and graduation pathway is most appropriate for the student. 

Children of Military Families: The superintendent can waive course prerequisites for these students. 

Appeals: Appeals of promotion decisions can be made if there’s an alleged violation of a specific law or policy. Otherwise, final decisions about promotion are the responsibility of the principal. 

Credit by Demonstrated Mastery: Students in grades 9 through 12 can earn course credit by showing they’ve mastered the material without taking the course. Students in grades 6 to 8 can earn credit for high school courses offered in middle school this way. 

Credit Recovery: High school students who haven’t earned required course credit for graduation can recover lost credits. Credit recovery courses are pass/fail and don’t replace the original failed course on the transcript. 

For more details, see Board Policy 3420 Student Promotion and Accountability. 

For Kindergarten to 2nd grade, students’ reading progress is checked using the DIBELS assessment. This helps see if students are on track and if they need extra help. 

In 3rd grade, students need to score at or above Level 3 on the NC End-of-Grade Test of Reading or the Read to Achieve Alternate Assessment. Some students might be able to move to 4th grade for a good reason, even if they don’t meet these standards. This is called a Good Cause Exemption. It can apply to: 

• English Learner students with less than two years in an English as a Second Language program. 

• Students with disabilities. 

• Students who show they can read at the 3rd grade level on a different approved test. 

• Students who have gotten extra help with reading and have repeated a grade before. 

For 4th and 5th grade, the principal decides if a student moves up based on their grades, how they do on tests, and other ways they show they’re ready for the next grade. 

For more details, see Administrative Regulation 3420-R Student Promotion and Accountability. 

Guilford County Schools' Exceptional Children Services works as a collaborative team to serve and advocate for students with disabilities through the provision of personalized instruction in the least restrictive environment as outlined in a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) document. 

Exceptional Children Services, also called special education, is defined as: 

• Specially designed instruction designed to meet the unique needs of a student with a disability 

• Access to the general curriculum and intervention programs are designed to provide maximum opportunities for instruction in the general education setting 

• Full continuum of service 

• Curriculum-driven instruction using the North Carolina Standard Course of Study and the North Carolina Extended Content Standards 

• Related services that include but are not limited to speech, occupational and physical therapy 

If you are concerned that your child may need special services, contact your child’s school. Click here for more information about Services for Exceptional Children in GCS. 

Click here for information about parents' rights and responsibilities in Special Education. 

Click here for resources for parents of Exceptional Children and dispute resolution. 

Assessment is an important part of the learning process. In GCS, your child will experience some kind of “test” of how their learning is progressing nearly every day. Some of these assessments look like an assignment provided by the teacher, a quest in a digital learning app or an exit ticket. Others are teacher-created quizzes, projects, and traditional tests. Our teachers use these to adjust their instruction so that every child gets what they need.  

Districtwide and statewide assessments are also a critical component of the learning program. These tests are used to measure students’ needs for targeted supports (like gifted instruction), how students are doing compared with their peers, how the district may need to support teachers and schools differently, and to measure at the end of the year whether students are on track. 

Below are some examples of the districtwide and statewide assessments you may hear your child is participating in this year. 

• DIBELS (grades K-3) 

• NWEA MAP (grades K-10) 

• WIDA Screener and WIDA ACCESS (multilingual students - grades K-12) 

• Learning Snapshots & Interim Assessments (grades 3-12) 

• North Carolina End-of-Grade Tests (grades 3-8) 

• North Carolina End-of-Course Tests (grades 7-12) 

• GCS Final Exams (grades 6-12) 

• Pre-ACT & ACT (grades 9-11) 

• Pre-SAT & SAT (grades 9-12) 

• Advanced Placement (AP) & International Baccalaureate (IB) (grades 9-12) 

Click here for more information about assessments in GCS and the 2024-25 Testing Calendar. 

In GCS, all students should graduate prepared for success in higher education and the career of their choice. Students must meet the course unit requirements of the state of North Carolina and complete a Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) course to qualify to graduate. There are limited exceptions in certain circumstances where a student has moved from another state. 

For more details, see Board Policy 3460 Graduation Requirements. 

The year a student enters 9th grade for the first time determines the requirements they will meet to earn a diploma. To graduate and participate in graduation exercises, students must complete the Future Ready course of study outlined in the table below except for a small number of students with disabilities who qualify for the Occupational Course of Study or certificate of completion. For more details, see Administrative Regulation 3460-R Graduation Requirements.  

Learning happens all around us! Your child’s teacher or activity sponsor may occasionally plan activities off campus to enrich the learning experience.  

• Planning: Field trips should be well-planned, safe, and related to classroom instruction. They should provide meaningful experiences that can’t be had in school.  

• Special Needs: Arrangements will be made for students with special needs. This includes checking if the destination can accommodate them and arranging specialized transportation. 

• Approval: The principal approves most field trips. For overnight or out-of-state trips, the Superintendent’s approval is needed at least one month in advance.  

• Supervision: At least two adults, which can include parents, are required per class for a trip. To volunteer as a chaperone, parents must register and complete a GCS volunteer background check. 

• Permission: Students need written permission from their parent to go on each specific field trip or off-campus activity. An alternate activity will be provided for students without parental permission, and students’ grades won’t be lowered if parents don’t consent to a field trip. 

• Medications: Medications taken by a student during the school day should also be administered during a field trip according to medication protocols. 

• Student Conduct: School rules apply during field trips. 

• Absences and Make-Up Work: Field trip participation is considered part of the instructional program, and students will be counted present. Students can make up any work they miss in other classes. 

• Cancellation: Trips can be cancelled or postponed by the Superintendent due to emergencies or hazardous conditions. 

• Fees: The school may ask parents/caregivers to contribute to cover the actual cost of a field trip; however, no student should miss out on a field trip because they can’t afford it. 

For more details, see Administrative Regulation 3320-R Field Trips. 

The Guilford County Board of Education encourages students to participate in extracurricular activities and sports, which promote accomplishment, leadership, sportsmanship, self-discipline, teamwork, and physical fitness.  

Participation in school extracurricular activities is a privilege, and students are expected to behave appropriately. Misconduct may result in this privilege being revoked.  

Students who are absent or suspended may not participate in meetings, practices or competitions on days they are absent from school, unless the absence was planned in advance with the school (like a funeral or a doctor’s appointment) and the student is not ill.  

Students are required to travel to and from events with the group or team, unless given permission to do otherwise. 

For more details, see Board Policy 3620 Student Participation in Extracurricular Activities. Contact your child’s school for information about offered activities. 

Guilford County Schools offers an interscholastic sports program at both middle and high schools. Competitive interscholastic athletics are a great way for students to learn teamwork, self-discipline, and physical fitness. GCS athletics programs also have high standards for academic excellence and attendance for our scholar-athletes.  

To participate in sports, students must meet certain standards: 

• Medical examination: Student athletes must have an exam by a licensed provider once every 395 days. 

• Athletic fees: A $45 annual fee is required to assist with the costs associated with athletics. Families who cannot afford the fee may request a waiver. 

• Academic Performance: Students must meet minimum grade and course requirements each semester for middle school or high school to be eligible. 

• Attendance: Students must attend school 85% of the time in the previous semester. This means they cannot miss more than 13 days in a typical 90-day semester. 

• Conduct: Students must behave appropriately, represent the school well, and comply with all school rules. 

• Base School Assignment: Middle school students participate at the school where they are enrolled. For high school, each student is assigned a “base” school when they enter 9th grade. If they switch schools, they must wait 365 days before they can participate in sports at the new school. 

If a student becomes ineligible, they or their school can request a hardship exception. If a student is found to be ineligible after participating in a sport, they will be removed from the team, and the team may have to forfeit any contests in which the student participated. If you have any questions, please contact the school athletic director. 

For more details, see Board Policy 3621 Student Participation in Interscholastic Athletics and Administrative Regulation 3621-R.  

Click here for more information about athletics eligibility, fees, and transfers. 

GCS follows strict safety protocols to reduce the chances that a student will experience a head injury and to follow emergency established procedures to respond when a head injury is suspected. As a parent, you can expect that: 

• Schools will provide information to parents, athletes, and coaches about concussions. 

• Appropriate, well-fitted protective equipment will be worn when students are participating, per the guidelines for each sport. 

• An established return to play (RTP) protocol will be used in all cases involving a concussion. 

• Schools will have an emergency action plan. 

For more details, see Administrative Regulation 4270/6145-R Concussion Awareness and Safety. 

The Guilford County Board of Education offers voluntary student accident insurance to each student each year. All enrollment information can be found on the GCS website. Several options are offered, and a family may enroll throughout the school year. Enrollment forms can be requested from the schools for parents/guardians who do not have access to online enrollment. Parents are encouraged to review the voluntary accident insurance plans each year. 

Athletic accident insurance is provided at no cost to students or parents for each student participating on a school-sponsored team. This coverage is only effective when participating in practice, an event, or traveling directly to and from an event. No accident coverage is provided for any accident outside the school-sponsored team. Physical education classes and recess are not covered. 

For more details, see Board Policy 4220 Student Insurance. 

Click here for online student accident insurance enrollment.