In the past, there have been several different schedules designed for students to take semester exams. This year being no different, the school board released a brand new schedule for end-of-year exams which allows students to exempt every test if they meet the requirements. Since tests for all classes were mandatory in December, the ability to exempt them all has caused controversy.

“I feel like it would have been nice to have been able to skip some of the semester tests last semester, but at the same time it is also nice to be able to skip all of them [this] semester,” junior Michael Davis said.

The opportunity to exempt an exam depends on both the student’s grade in a class and number of absences. A student is able to exempt an exam if they have missed four or fewer days and kept an A average, three or fewer with a B average, or two or fewer with a C average. For AP classes, the AP exam can count as the semester test. This leaves a wide opportunity for students to exempt.

“I think it’s good, because you can exempt from all your classes and you don’t have to come to school all week,” sophomore Alise West said. “[If] you haven’t missed a lot of days and you have good grades, [it’s a good option.]”

Although the new policy does allow many students to exempt, it does exclude people who are frequently absent.

“[I don’t think excluding people that are absent is fair] because I have a really bad immune system and I’m always sick,” West said. “I think if you missed a lot of days because you were sick, then it shouldn’t count against you, but if you’re just skipping then you should.”

Along with students who are frequently absent, the new system excludes all students who have been in in-school or out-of-school suspension.

“I do think that that’s fair, because they’ve made the decision that they’re going to do something to get in trouble, and they shouldn’t be rewarded by being able to exempt semester exams,” Davis said.

This calls into question whether or not a single test is a good way to tell how much a student learned over a long amount of time.

“[I don’t like semester tests] because I always flunk out on tests,” West said. I may have learned a lot during the semester, but during tests I get really nervous and I don’t make a good grade.”

Students often have a different perspective from administrators who create the policies and would design them a little differently.

“I would definitely keep the grades and absences for [the policy],” Davis said. I’d also bring back half days.Make it to where each semester depending on the grades and absences the student can exempt a test.”