Test retakes (assessment, college, class, teaching)

[Ivorytickler]

What is your stance on test retakes? The policy at my school is that kids can retake tests (retakes are done the week before finals not right after the test is given) for full grade replacement. I've already graded several tests where the grade went from 85% to 100%. Personally, I consider this nothing but grade inflation. I can see letting kids retake if they do poorly but not just to get a higher grade. What are your thoughts?

[maf763]

Full grade replacement is a bad idea. It gives no incentive to kids to get it right the first time. If it's offered at all, I'd rather see it be an average of the two scores, which would cut down on the number of higher scoring kids retaking. I actually don't have as much of a problem with letting higher scoring kids retake - if they're willing, they might as well get the same opportunity as the kids who didn't do as well. There will always be a cutoff point where a kid with a higher grade is going to come out behind a kid who initially got a lower grade first otherwise.

Mainly I think retakes should be left to a teacher's discretion.

[Starman71]

I hate to do it because of the students' escalating reliance on having second shots. They won't get them in college, and most cetainly won't see it much in the job market.

My only reason for doing it though is for reinforcement of the materials. If I'm prepping an AP Chemistry class for the May exam, I'd rather put up with making 2 copies of each exam (with no repeated questions/problems) and use this a another form of assessment/reinforcement tool. I guess I'm more concerned with the retention of the material. Although I tell the students that a re-test is not always a given, and to not rely on a second chance.

[zthatzmanz28]

My take is do whatever the admin wants.

[Oldhag1]

I used to let them correct it for half credit for any question they missed - but they had to do all or none. I would give them a copy of the test questions without the multiple choices they were originally given and they had to give me the complete answer. I would let them completely re-write essay questions. I even let them do it open book and I explained that I graded it with that in mind, unlike their original answer, so it was a heck of a lot more work. If a kid got below a C on a test and didn't voluntarily correct, I called their parents to tell them that little Bobby took that option, it was surprising how many parents helped them change their mind about that choice. I did it this way because it helped them learn the material, which is what I was interested in. You don't go to school to get grades, you go to learn.

[LLN]

I think it is a bad idea, but not something worth getting excited about. Our policy in 8th grade is retake for max grade of 80, and within five days of initial test. Since neither parents nor children seem to care about grades until the last week of grading period, I give very, very retests..

[Prof2000]

I allow one retake but that's only if the student put in an honest effort. If they hand it in 20 minutes later and say they don't remember it there are no retakes.

[Ivorytickler]

Originally Posted by maf763

Full grade replacement is a bad idea. It gives no incentive to kids to get it right the first time. If it's offered at all, I'd rather see it be an average of the two scores, which would cut down on the number of higher scoring kids retaking. I actually don't have as much of a problem with letting higher scoring kids retake - if they're willing, they might as well get the same opportunity as the kids who didn't do as well. There will always be a cutoff point where a kid with a higher grade is going to come out behind a kid who initially got a lower grade first otherwise.

Mainly I think retakes should be left to a teacher's discretion.

The argument here is that it should be about demonstrating mastery not WHEN they demonstrate mastery. Another argument is that you can retake the ACT/SAT as many times as you want and keep the high score and you can retake tests like your drivers test until you get it right.

We had retakes at my previous school and by the end of the year that they were implemented grades were dismal. I had a student shout "Now everyone fail so she has to reteach this" once as I was passing out tests. I don't think retakes improve grades. I think they make them worse. However, I'm stuck because the district wants retakes.

I agree on the average of the two scores. IMO, that would be more fair. With it being for grade replacement, grades are meaningless. And, as you might have guessed, it's not the kids who NEED to retake who are retaking tests. It's the kids who have a B but want an A.

[teachbeach]

I always allowed retakes, up until one week prior to the end of the marking period. However, they had to first make corrections on the test and have it ready to turn in as their "ticket" to the retake. After retake, I would only take higher score up to 85%. I learned quickly that the ones who were retaking were the ones who had mastered the material but just wanted a higher grade. They made me crazy, so I lowered the cut-off so that the middle and bottom students would take advantage of the offer.

Retakes were my solution to those inquiries about "extra credit". I felt that the offer of a retake or a resubmission (of a lab, notebook check, essay, project) was more in line with learning than bringing in tissues, classroom treats, extra credit on a test, or making a poster. Seriously, those were what some of my colleagues were using as grade boosting incentives.

[CaliTerp07]

District policy is that we must allow retakes. We are teaching for mastery. They let my department get by with offering "corrections" for 50% of the missed points.