This post acknowledges the thoughtful and well-constructed arguments that so many of you have made regarding exams. There are indeed several persuasive points of view on the issue (which of course has more than two sides) that have been supported with logic and even analytics. In the end, the role of educational leaders is to make decisions that are in the best interests of students. Research tells us that such decision-making must consider the expressed wishes of students (McGee & Mansfield, 2014; Noddings, 2008; Shapiro & Stefkovich, 2011). With this in mind, your perspective is important. We plan to convene the leadership team (admin and teacher leaders) on Thursday to review the path forward. While no guarantees of an outcome can be made at this juncture, please know that the student voice (as you have shared) will be included in the discussion.
Thank you for being such thoughtful and respectful advocates!
