Request to Reevaluate Midterm and Final Exam Policy at Summit High School

For nearly 24 years, Summit High School has required midterms and finals which count for 20% of a student’s final grade. These high-stakes, cumulative exams often lower GPAs while adding significant stress for students. For the reasons outlined below, we urge the administration to reevaluate and reform this outdated policy. Simply stating, "it's always been this way" is no longer acceptable.

Key Concerns:
1. Outdated Compared to Peer Schools: Many neighboring districts have eliminated or restructured exams, putting Summit students at a college admissions disadvantage.

2. Unreasonable Exam Scope: Students are tested on 4+ months of content per exam, often in two subjects per day. In contrast, colleges test less material, have fewer classes, and space out exams better.

3. COVID Demonstrated These Exams Are Unnecessary: During the Covid school schedule, midterms and finals were suspended for a period of time. Summit High School students who did not take 4 years of midterms are currently thriving in college, proving such exams are not essential for success.

4. Mental Health Impact: These exams cause unnecessary stress and emotional strain, especially without clear justification.

5. Lost Instructional Time: Testing consumes 4 days of class time, reducing learning—and this is especially harmful in AP classes where every day of instruction matters.

6. Inequity in Teaching and Preparation: Students face inconsistent instruction pacing, access to study guides and other classroom circumstances which may create inconsistencies yet many times take standardized exams across a course level.
 
Our Request: We ask the administration to reevaluate the purpose and format of midterms and finals. Possible solutions include:

Eliminating exams altogether

Reducing weighting

Limiting them to specific subjects

Alternative opportunities for assessments (projects, etc)

Let’s put students’ well-being and academic success first with a system that reflects today’s educational landscape.