We firmly believe the in-person, oral spelling bee offers the most benefits for participants. Our online testing platform is not intended to be a permanent replacement for that experience, but instead an additional option now and in the future to advance students through all local competition levels. If some local sponsors decide an online test is a helpful alternative to narrow the field of participants to make an in-person event more manageable, that might be an unexpected long-term benefit of the test.

Schools and local sponsors are not required to use the Online Testing Platform. 

Enrolled schools may use the Online Testing Platform to:

•    Conduct classroom- or grade-level competitions with online tests.
•    Administer a spelling test in place of the traditional oral spelling bee, declaring a school champion without holding an in-person event.

As teachers deliver classroom instruction, manage remote learning or a combination of the two, they can offer a traditional oral spelling bee or administer an online spelling and/or vocabulary test, which students can take on any device with a web browser, at school or from home. Our Online Testing Platform, included with sponsorship and school enrollment, ensures schools and sponsors can host competitions and name champions under any foreseeable circumstances.

The Bee's online testing platform gives teachers and sponsors maximum flexibility in the administration of local spelling bee programs. Teachers and sponsors can administer online spelling and word meaning tests at the classroom, school, district and county levels.

If a school or sponsor decides to use an online test, students will be able to take the test on any device with a supported web browser* while at school or from home. The results of the test would determine who advances to the Bee’s next level of competition.

The Bee is engaging now with teachers and parents by offering educational resources and social media-based learning opportunities.

The cancellation occurred due to the ongoing concerns about the spread of COVID-19 and uncertainty around when public gatherings would be possible or advisable. The decision followed the Bee’s announcement on March 20, 2020, that it was suspending the national finals with hopes of rescheduling. The Bee determined there was no clear path to safely set a new date in 2020. The health and safety of all participants was the top concern and basis for this decision.