X the Exam!

The eighth grade Math Honors final exam is scheduled on June 2, the second-to-last day of school. Every eighth grader is required to take this test. This results in laptop issues and unnecessary stress, and many students will be absent for the last week.

As the end of the year approaches, everyone is super excited for the summer and just want school to be over, but teachers have a different idea. End-of-year tests are being planned in multiple classes for either the week before school gets out or the very last day of school. This causes students to be worried about their grades and have to stay up late studying for all of their tests. By having students take tests that close to the end of the year, they will be stressed about trying to get their grades back up before the end of the year. Students will be so worried about doing well on their tests that they will forget to enjoy their last few weeks of school with their friends. The last days of school are supposed to be fun and enjoyable - students should not be freaking out about them!

All students are required to take the end of the year final, which goes over everything students have learned throughout the year... yet they return their laptops on May 31st. How are students supposed to take the final exam? The students could take the exam on paper, but if that's the case, how will the exams be graded and put into PowerSchool before grades lock? If the exam is graded and put into PowerSchool, students will have no way of checking their grades, so they'll have no chance to get their grades up by doing extra credit. The exam should be taken a week before school ends; this at least gives a fair chance for students to get their grades up.

For the summer, many families are planning big, long trips. These vacations might require kids to school a few days early to catch flights. If the final math exam is on June 2nd or June 3rd, then many students will have to take the test earlier. If so many students aren’t even taking the test on the day it’s scheduled, ALL students should take it a week before the last day. Having half of the students take the test early and the other half take the test at the very end of the year is just more useless work. It would make the testing process easier for the students and teachers will have a longer amount of time to grade the tests.

Overall, having the final math exam the day before school ends is unfair to the students and doesn’t benefit anybody. The test should be at least a week before the last day to prevent problems, like unneeded anxiety, work, and, most likely, a decline in grades. By the second to last day, the school won’t even have the resources necessary to take the test. These issues can easily be avoided if the exam is rescheduled to an earlier date.

Article by Mia Rapella, Naomi Baltzan and Hali Weaver