We live in world where we are rewarded for almost everything we do, even if it is something we are supposed to do in the first place. Perfect-attendance awards, honor-roll certificates, and candy for participating in class are all rewards for behaviors that are all basic expectations of students. If students are rewarded for those reasons, then why should students who work hard all year and go above and beyond expectations not be able to receive the reward of exemption from stressful final exams?

We all know what exam time is like for high-school students. There are those students who never even write their name on the study guide and those who fill every inch of the paper with answers and notes. The students who fill their study guide are most likely students who are concerned with not only how their exam will affect their semester grade but also their chances of getting into college. Honoring these students for their hard work all semester is a logical process, which is why these students should be allowed to exempt themselves from their exams if they have earned an “A” both quarters.

Some may argue that grades alone are not enough to merit a student being exempted from an exam, but many schools that currently employ a final-exam-exemption policy have requirements in addition to grades that serve as the basis for the exemption. For example, several schools allow only juniors and seniors to use the exam exemption policy. These schools see upperclassmen as students who have experience taking exams and who can make a more informed decision regarding his /her particular need for the exam. Schools also limit the number of exams that students are allowed to exempt themselves from and require that students maintain a strong attendance record. When these requirements are coupled together, exam exemptions serve as an incentive for students to do well in their classes as well as maintain strong attendance.

The argument that exams are a learning experience for students has some validity, but this falls short in Montgomery County, a place where students don’t even get to see the exams after they have taken them to identify mistakes and areas that need improvement. Without this access, taking the exam is essentially pointless. You see a letter grade on the semester exam section of your report card but have no idea why you earned this grade. If students are not going to learn from their mistakes to improve for the next exam, they should not be required to take them.

Montgomery County should implement an exam-exemption policy to reward conscientious students who work hard and achieve good grades. With the right policy in place requiring students to have strong attendance and exam experience, exam exemption would only help, not hurt, the students who have demonstrated their dedication to getting the most out of their education.