FLORENCE — The Florence board of education has amended its exam exemption policy for high schools to allow up to three absences for a student visiting a college campus who supplies proof of the visit.

The exemption policy now allows for five excused absences with an A average, three excused absences with a B average and two excused absences with a C.

The new policy is in effect through the rest of the school year. Florence students can only exempt exams in the spring semester.

So now, a student can have up to three additional absences and still be exempt. For example, a student with an A average can have up to eight excused absences if three are because of college visits.

Superintendent Janet Womack said the additional days were needed.

“Our students travel to visit colleges all over the country and sometimes (the visits) are during the week.”

“We want to support students who are looking to advance to the next level,” she said. “We view high school graduation as the beginning, not the end.”

The policy may have to be tweaked before next school year as more end-of-course tests are phased in. The state does not allow exemption for those tests.