Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 13:57     Subject: No more final exams in mcps middle schools (high schools are next)
I think they need to stop the centralized exams. They are relatively new & a terrible idea.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 12:18     Subject: No more final exams in mcps middle schools (high schools are next)
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It sounds like all high school exams will be replaced with centrally created assessments. This is the end of quality instruction, folks. Central office will make high school students who will be unable to perform in college.

http://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/9Y733R706C81/$file/Assessment%20Strategy.pdf


The finals were all centralized anyways...


No they weren't. Only core classes had centralized finals.


OK..just SS, math, English, Science, Langauges..that is the majority of kids schedules in HS. You are right..no finals in PE and Pottery.


THREE of the SEVENTEEN science courses taught at our school have centralized exams and all have finals.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 10:37     Subject: No more final exams in mcps middle schools (high schools are next)
Anonymous wrote:I don't really understand the push to centralize the exams. Exams were always (and in college, too) personal to the class and teacher. Different teachers emphasize/value different aspects of learning - ESPECIALLY in topics like history and English - and a centralized exam cannot really reflect whether the student has learned the content. It also does not reward students for studying/paying attention to the teacher's style and ideology, which is critical to success in college. Centralized tests become more about regurgitation of memorized facts rather than critical thought/debate. Very unfortunate.


+1


Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 10:32     Subject: No more final exams in mcps middle schools (high schools are next)
Anonymous wrote:I don't really understand the push to centralize the exams. Exams were always (and in college, too) personal to the class and teacher. Different teachers emphasize/value different aspects of learning - ESPECIALLY in topics like history and English - and a centralized exam cannot really reflect whether the student has learned the content. It also does not reward students for studying/paying attention to the teacher's style and ideology, which is critical to success in college. Centralized tests become more about regurgitation of memorized facts rather than critical thought/debate. Very unfortunate.


There is no push to centralize the final exams. The final exams are ALREADY centralized.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 10:27     Subject: No more final exams in mcps middle schools (high schools are next)
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It sounds like all high school exams will be replaced with centrally created assessments. This is the end of quality instruction, folks. Central office will make high school students who will be unable to perform in college.

http://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/9Y733R706C81/$file/Assessment%20Strategy.pdf


The finals were all centralized anyways...


No they weren't. Only core classes had centralized finals.


OK..just SS, math, English, Science, Langauges..that is the majority of kids schedules in HS. You are right..no finals in PE and Pottery.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 10:23     Subject: No more final exams in mcps middle schools (high schools are next)
I don't really understand the push to centralize the exams. Exams were always (and in college, too) personal to the class and teacher. Different teachers emphasize/value different aspects of learning - ESPECIALLY in topics like history and English - and a centralized exam cannot really reflect whether the student has learned the content. It also does not reward students for studying/paying attention to the teacher's style and ideology, which is critical to success in college. Centralized tests become more about regurgitation of memorized facts rather than critical thought/debate. Very unfortunate.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 10:18     Subject: No more final exams in mcps middle schools (high schools are next)
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It sounds like all high school exams will be replaced with centrally created assessments. This is the end of quality instruction, folks. Central office will make high school students who will be unable to perform in college.

http://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/9Y733R706C81/$file/Assessment%20Strategy.pdf


The finals were all centralized anyways...


No they weren't. Only core classes had centralized finals.


Only core MS classes had finals anyway. Even then most 7th graders didn't have finals in subjects like Social Studies and Science.
--SS teacher in MCPS
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 10:11     Subject: No more final exams in mcps middle schools (high schools are next)
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It sounds like all high school exams will be replaced with centrally created assessments. This is the end of quality instruction, folks. Central office will make high school students who will be unable to perform in college.

http://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/9Y733R706C81/$file/Assessment%20Strategy.pdf


The finals were all centralized anyways...


No they weren't. Only core classes had centralized finals.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 08:48     Subject: No more final exams in mcps middle schools (high schools are next)
Anonymous wrote:It sounds like all high school exams will be replaced with centrally created assessments. This is the end of quality instruction, folks. Central office will make high school students who will be unable to perform in college.

http://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/9Y733R706C81/$file/Assessment%20Strategy.pdf


The finals were all centralized anyways...
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 08:09     Subject: No more final exams in mcps middle schools (high schools are next)
Anonymous wrote:

But they are necessary to demonstrate retention of material.


Two-hour finals at the end of the semester are necessary to demonstrate retention of material? Why?
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 08:05     Subject: No more final exams in mcps middle schools (high schools are next)
Anonymous wrote:This is inaccurate. The accurate version:

1. No finals in middle-school level classes.
2. Consider dropping finals for 2015-2016 for high-school-level classes that also have state assessments (for example, Algebra I and English 10).
3. Consider replacing finals for high-school-level classes for 2016-2017 with other, centrally-developed assessments.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/no-more-final-exams-2-major-school-districts-drop-some-tests-in-evaluation-shift/2015/07/14/fbf5637a-2998-11e5-bd33-395c05608059_story.html

As to how high school students will be prepared for college -- most college-bound students take at least one AP test, plus there are the classes with state assessments.

Also, anecdotally, my school system had no final exams in high school at all, yet somehow I and most of my friends were able to finish college and go on to advanced degrees. I conclude from this that final exams in high school are not necessary as preparation for college.


But they are necessary to demonstrate retention of material.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 08:05     Subject: No more final exams in mcps middle schools (high schools are next)
It sounds like all high school exams will be replaced with centrally created assessments. This is the end of quality instruction, folks. Central office will make high school students who will be unable to perform in college.

http://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/9Y733R706C81/$file/Assessment%20Strategy.pdf
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 08:01     Subject: No more final exams in mcps middle schools (high schools are next)
This is inaccurate. The accurate version:

1. No finals in middle-school level classes.
2. Consider dropping finals for 2015-2016 for high-school-level classes that also have state assessments (for example, Algebra I and English 10).
3. Consider replacing finals for high-school-level classes for 2016-2017 with other, centrally-developed assessments.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/no-more-final-exams-2-major-school-districts-drop-some-tests-in-evaluation-shift/2015/07/14/fbf5637a-2998-11e5-bd33-395c05608059_story.html

As to how high school students will be prepared for college -- most college-bound students take at least one AP test, plus there are the classes with state assessments.

Also, anecdotally, my school system had no final exams in high school at all, yet somehow I and most of my friends were able to finish college and go on to advanced degrees. I conclude from this that final exams in high school are not necessary as preparation for college.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 07:29     Subject: No more final exams in mcps middle schools (high schools are next)
I agree. Middle schoolers (at least at my school) never really had finals anyways. It was just a test at the end of the year with way too much time scheduled (aside from the HS credit classes). I hope they don't take away HS finals. The kids need to take some long comprehensive exams before college.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 07:20     Subject: No more final exams in mcps middle schools (high schools are next)
http://wtop.com/local/2015/07/2-local-school-districts-moving-away-final-exams/

I'm all for ending finals in middle school...primarily since mcps doesn't equip kids in elementary school to even begin to know how to prepare for an exam while in elementary...but ditching finals for high schoolers??? WTF??? How on earth will they be prepared for college???