Botetourt County high and middle school students will return to school Wednesday knowing they won't have to take mid-term and final exams.

In what Superintendent Jack Thomas called radical thinking, the school board on Thursday night voted to eliminate mid-term and final semester exams.

Instead, six-weeks tests will determine whether the students need individual remedial work or a teacher needs to re-teach a subject matter.

The board's decision would give teachers more instructional time, estimated to as many as 10 to 12 more school days, said Jack Thomas, school superintendent. "It's probably pretty radical thinking."

In exchange for no exams though, students are giving up a few days of leaving school early. The board adjusted the school calendar to eliminate early dismissal on the days that had been set aside for exams.