Are semester tests permitted at MCPS?

[Anonymous]

It's not even a real semester exam--it's a take home test.

I hate that the last week of classes rarely have any actual content. I cheer when my kid has a project or test the last week!

[Anonymous]

What is going to happen to these kids when they get to college and there is a midterm and a final and that’s your grade?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not even a real semester exam--it's a take home test.

I hate that the last week of classes rarely have any actual content. I cheer when my kid has a project or test the last week!

I am the OP and this was a closed book semester exam. My kid in high school has a completely full schedule this week. I guess Friday will lack any content.

[Anonymous]

Both AP classes my add took this year had course exams (right prior to the AP one). It got my DD studying so I was for it.

I think semester exams should return anyways and see no issue with this of it is only 25% of the grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is going to happen to these kids when they get to college and there is a midterm and a final and that’s your grade?

Many college courses no longer use this structure, they have more frequent "mid terms"... three or four during the semester. In my day we would have called them tests, we only called a mid term something that was half way through the semester on all content up to that point. Not the case for my 2021 college grade or their friends... they seemed to have mid terms every few weeks and several for each course. Most finals only covered part of the course as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are parents really complaining that their kids will be tested on what they learned this semester?

Considering semester exams are not allowed, this is grounds for complaint. MCPS schools need to be consistent and equitable. Teachers are not entitled to break the rules based on their preferences.

Semester Exams are allowed. They just aren't a separate 10% grade like they used to be. They have to be part of the All/Task Assessment category and cannot be more than 25% of the total pts in that category.

Portfolios, Final projects and final papers are still allowed as well as long as they follow the above.

Please cite. I’m curious if whatever you are basing your claim contradicts the above reference.
semester tests are not allowed.

NP - Google is your friend.

Board policy on Grading and Reporting: https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/pdf/ikara.pdf
III.E.6.e Not allowed to have any single task more than 25% of marking period grade.
III.F.3.a Summative assessments may include teacher designed examinations covering what has been taught.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is going to happen to these kids when they get to college and there is a midterm and a final and that’s your grade?

Many college courses no longer use this structure, they have more frequent "mid terms"... three or four during the semester. In my day we would have called them tests, we only called a mid term something that was half way through the semester on all content up to that point. Not the case for my 2021 college grade or their friends... they seemed to have mid terms every few weeks and several for each course. Most finals only covered part of the course as well.

None of my son's exams were like this. He had a midterm and a final for every class. There were also frequent quizzes and papers. This is what he had since he started 6th grade so it was nothing new.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pathetic to not allow final exams for year long courses

High school courses are semester-long, not year-long.

[Anonymous]

DD had a semester long, closed book math exam over two days. Same thing last semester.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have to wait for AP exams if you want your child to be tested on "the whole course."

Nope, my kid’s precalc teacher is giving an exam today over the content taught in semester 1 and 2. Aka, a final.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like another name for exam, which are not allowed.

Exams are allowed. However, they are discouraged in favor of other assessments. Plus, no one assessment can count as more than 25% of a marking period grade. And MCPS no longer requires semester exams for high school credit courses. My rising seniors are at two different schools. Both had exams this year (Fall and Spring)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Only quarterly assessments are allowed.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/departments/sharedaccountability/Grading%20Calculation%20Parent%20%20Letter%20FINAL.pdf

No, this just eliminated the county made semester exams. It didn’t prohibit exams made my individual teachers or PLCs.