School System To Unveil Proposal For Eliminating Final Exams

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- Anne Arundel County Public Schools is proposing to replace end-of-semester high school final exams with quarterly assessments.

The Capital reports the school system will unveil a proposal Wednesday to replace the final exams with quarterly exams, which would take place about every nine weeks.
The proposal would also standardize and consolidate assessments in middle and elementary schools. It wouldn't affect students from pre-kindergarten to second grade.

County schools spokesman Bob Mosier says a shorter interval between tests is a more effective way to gauge how well students learned.

On Sept. 9, the county's school board voted to eliminate the two-hour semester-end exams and replace them with shorter assessments. The new assessments could include tests, essays, portfolios and projects.