Before students celebrate the holidays, they'll have to show their aptitude in a number of courses.

This week, parents received letters with their student's progress reports outlining the state's new end-of-course tests. Coweta County Public Schools Information Director Dean jackson said students enrolled in several high school classes will have to take new state EOCT designed to test their knowledge of Georgia curriculum in the subject as courses end this semester.Ê

Though the tests were administered last year in Georgia high schools, the results of the exams did not count toward a student's final grade during the 2003-04 pilot year.

This year, the exams will count as 15 percent of s student's final grade in the course.Ê Coweta county's three high schools want parents to know that while the exams do not determine passage or failure, they will be a significant part of a student's grade.

"Because of the importance of end-of-course tests and grades in the course, we want to be sure that students are prepared as possible to do their best," said Northgate Principal Therese Reddekopp.Ê "When students' parents and teachers are all focused on testing goals, the result is increased success."

The testing schedule for all three Coweta County high schools is:

- Nov. 30-Dec. 1, ninth-grade English.

- Dec. 1-2, physical science.

- Dec. 2-3, economics.

- Dec. 3-6, U.S. history.

- Dec. 6-7, biology.

- Dec. 7-8, 11th-grade English.

- Dec. 8-9, geometry.

- Dec. 9-10, Algebra (one-term classes only).

"Although we have had a practice on the test last year, this is the first time the state test will impact a final grade for a course and the grade will appear on the student's transcript," said Lynette Harper, head counselor at Northgate. Ê"By design, these tests should serve to strengthen the curriculum. But anxiety exists anytime a change is implemented, and when a change this important takes place we want all those impacted to know."