The North Carolina Legislature has made changes to the policy concerning “Measures of Student Learning,” otherwise known as common exams. These exams are now required for core classes in all North Carolina schools, meaning that local school policy can no longer grant exemptions from end-of-semester core exams. Chatham County chose to implement this change mid-year.
“The exemption was like an incentive to do well and come to school,” sophomore Jerry Silvestri said. “It makes me mad. I wish they had done it next year instead of during the middle of the school year.”
Silvestri, like many other students, is now required to take the common exams in both pre-calculus and chemistry, from which he could have been exempt if he had taken the courses first semester.
Chatham County officials did not have much say in the new exam policy, except that the county was allowed to choose whether to implement it first or second semester.
“It was a county decision. As a county, we elected to wait for second semester, just to see how [the exams] went,” principal Chris Blice said. “Having talked to some principals at other schools who did them first semester, I think that it was wise to wait. I agree there’s inequity, but I don’t think it will be a big problem.”
According to Blice, one problem that the other high schools ran into with implementing the policy first semester was that students were not given enough time to complete the exams and many did not finish them. As a result, the state plans on shortening the length of some exams this semester.
Chatham County was also allowed to decide the final percent value of the common exams and had the option to make the exam either a big test grade in the third six-week period or make it a percentage of the final grade. The decision was to make it 25 percent of the final grade.
“I personally think that it’s harmful to the students because the old exam exemption policy gave students a reason to want to come to school and not miss many days and to get good grades,” junior Emma Korynta said. “They don’t have as much of a reason now because they’re all going to have to take exams anyway.”
The new exam policy has influenced students such as Korynta to consider taking more sick days because they are no longer rewarded with being exempt from exams.
“If I used to be sick, I would probably come to school anyway, and [now] there’s a lot better chance that I’ll stay home a day or two if I’m really sick,” Korynta said.
Silvestri, who is required to take his common exams, believes the result of taking the exams will be the same no matter how many days he misses.
While common exams are seen in a negative light from the perspective of students like Silvestri and Korynta, the North Carolina Legislature thinks differently. The goals of the “Measures of Student Learning” include developing and increasing the effectiveness of teachers and seeing evidence of achievement and growth for all students.
As well as the Legislature, some students see merit in taking the exams.
“On one hand I feel that it’s good because it’s going to prepare students for college, because in college you won’t get the option to get exempt from your exams,” junior Moli Eddins said. “But I also feel like the student should be rewarded for not missing school days and keeping up with their grades.”
While exams are required in all core classes, exam exemptions can still be granted in non-core classes.
–By Dana Walker