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Originally Posted by nine01c
Here in South Carolina we have been attending local meetings weekly since the middle of August. Yesterday we had our mandatory (for Varsity) state exam in Columbia. All 600+ referees in the entire state, same test, same location, in classrooms with proctors (no cheating). The annual test score weights heavily on your ranking. Your ranking determines your Varsity schedule, every Varsity game in the state is assigned by the SCHSL using The Arbiter. No local assignors. It is a great system. We have all been assigned scrimmages locally to get ready for the season which starts November 30.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jdub
That's definitely some coordination. Interesting that the "book knowledge" weighs so heavily on your assignments. For some, it's really easy to take a written rules test, but hard to actually use/apply those rules on the court.
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My local board only counts "book knowledge" as 5% of your total rating, which determines your ranking, and thus the level and number of assignments. 80% of your ranking is based on peer ratings. The remaining 15% is based on attendance at meetings, and your availability to the assignment commissioner.
There is a reason why the written test only counts 5%. It's easy for us. We get the questions at our first meeting. We have about two weeks to answer them with an open book. Our filled in answer sheet is a ticket to get us into a test review meeting, where we go over each question and answer, with the meeting leader having the correct answers to direct our discussion. Take the test, open book, at home, attend the test review meeting, get full credit, no matter how many questions you originally got right, or wrong.
Two questions for our colleague from the Palmetto State:
How can such an important test have its questions, and possibly answers, kept secret from all varsity officials in the entire state? The reason why my local board gave up on any type of "surprise" exam was due to so many people getting access to exam questions and answers before we even had out first meeting. Who said that "cheaters never prosper"?
With every varsity game in the state assigned by the SCHSL, and no local assignors, can officials be assigned anywhere in the entire state? Or is there a mileage limit? I'm only assigned in two counties in Connecticut, the longest trip I take is about 50 miles. I would hate to be assigned a game in the far reaches of my state. South Carolina is a lot bigger than Connecticut.