Back for Round Two Tuesday, September 15, 2009 By Ethan Lowenstein Junior Mitch Hatten and Junior Dalton Knott work diligently on the spring 2009 EOC test. - File Photo Advertising $0$0$0$0$0$0$0Last year brought changes to CHS. The biggest change was testing.  The state replaced the old Missouri Assessment Program [MAP] with the End of Course Test [EOC] at the high school level. The EOC test is given only in Missouri and is the part of the students grade. The tests are given in Algebra I, Language Arts II, Biology, and a test in American Government will be added.$0$0 $0$0School Counselor Mr. Ed Green thinks that students like the EOC better then the MAP test because it gives students more options. "I think it helps students give them an idea of where they are and it also therefore helps the school get an idea of how it's going and if something needs to be changed, like the curriculum," said Mr. Green. $0$0$0$0The EOC has received mixed reviews among the students. Most of the students like the EOC better then the MAP test. Junior Cody Gitthens thinks it's more academically challenging, but it gets the students more involved. $0$0 "I like the new tests better because I can explain my answers better," Cody said.$0$0Although he likes the EOC better, he still has his doubts. He explained he studied by looking at all his notes and all his worksheets over the year. $0$0$0"Some classes I don't think it' very appropriate to take them [EOC], but some classes yeah, because you need to know the stuff in that class so it's pretty good in some classes," said Cody.$0$0$0$0To aid with the change of tests the teachers are working harder, training more, having more in-service, and bringing in more people in to help prepare the students for the test. Incentives for doing well on the EOC have not been decided, but the administration is throwing around ideas. The EOC test is a government mandated test and can affect the funding for the school because this test falls under the No Child Left Behind Act.  According to the act, the school should be at 100 % proficiency by the year 2014.  $0$0"I think the students like the EOC better than the MAP testing, because I think it gives them more of an opportunity to express their opinion," explained Principal Don Gerber. "I feel there are multitudes of tests that are important. The EOC is one instrument that can be used, but I don't think that's the main instrument [EOC]," explains High School Principal Mr. Don Gerber.  $0$0 $0$0Students, be sure you're studying hard and ready for the tests because regardless of how you feel about them, they'll be here and be affecting your grade this spring.$0$0$0$0$0$0

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