Department assessments make up sixty percent of a student’s average in most courses at Townsend Harris High School. For me, I receive at least one test per subject every month, and more than two tests per month for STEM subjects. However, there are times where I struggle to manage test taking alongside the already overwhelming responsibilities, like internships and clubs, that I have. Alongside this, there are tests that I don’t feel fully prepared for (whether it be because the material is hard or because I felt there wasn’t enough time to study), which can poorly impact my performance.

For instances of poor performance, some teachers offer department test retake opportunities. But there are inconsistencies in who has the opportunity to take them and how often they can. According to two separate grading policies, one from a math course and one from a science course, students who fail any exam are eligible for revisions through a retake (so long as they are up to date on all assignments in that course). However, in each class there are different thresholds for who else gets a chance for a retake. In the math class, students who get a 65-85 on a test get one retake per semester. In the science class, students who get a 65-80 on a test can get one retake per semester. Students who get grades on tests above those ranges “are not generally eligible for full revisions.” 

The current schoolwide grading policy document states, “We value growth, and we celebrate progress. The purpose of revision is to encourage continual growth and learning that builds off of feedback and assessment.  All departments are committed to ensuring that one bad day does not harm a student’s overall course performance.” While this sounds nice as a philosophical statement, there are too many variations across courses. Many teachers do offer students who get above an 80 on a test at least one retake or revision opportunity, but should it be only one bad day? Can students want to work on improvement more than once per semester?

Some may argue that test corrections, which would be a form of revision separate from retakes, offer an opportunity for students to recover from bad test days and are separate from a retake or revision opportunity. However, test correction policies also vary widely across teachers. In some classes, students receive points back for the test corrections they submit. For those who do receive points back the percentage varies from teacher to teacher. For me, however, test corrections are required by my STEM teachers, and, upon completion, I receive no percentage of my points back for one of my courses. When I am putting both time and effort to correct my mistakes on a test and demonstrate my new understanding my grade should also reflect that growth. 

Others may argue that giving every student, regardless of their grade on an assessment, a retake is time consuming and not feasible. However, it has been done previously with success. Last year, physics teachers provided one day during Regents week in which students could come in and retake any test from the spring semester. There was no maximum grade that disqualified students from retaking a test. This system can be replicated in multiple departments and offers an effective way for students to demonstrate growth at the end of a term. 

Department tests are a source of anxiety for me and a lot of my peers, and being constantly told that you can only do bad once and have only one opportunity to try again adds to this anxiety.

Currently, there are too many discrepancies between revision policies and the opportunities a student receives can vary widely between teachers and between departments. 

I believe that students will benefit tremendously from being given increased options, through a consistent policy, for revision with no cap on the grade that qualifies for them. Test retakes show students’ improved understanding of a topic, and there should be no reason to limit ways for students to have an opportunity to demonstrate their growth.