Implementing Quarterly Exams

As traditional assessment in the classroom begins to shift, we examined five school districts’ rationale behind their transition from established midterm and final exams to quarterly exams.

As traditional assessment in the classroom begins to shift, we examined five school districts’ rationale behind their transition from established midterm and final exams to quarterly exams. Discover how these districts implemented quarterly exams through their new exam structures, exam creation strategies, and professional development. Districts also reported how to allay common concerns about quarterly exams and how to accommodate changes to teacher workload.

Use quarterly exam results to inform instruction

Profiled districts use quarterly exams to assess student learning earlier in each semester. Teachers can use data from quarterly exams to alter their instruction and re-teach or re-emphasize standards that students originally failed to master—quarterly exams allow teachers to do this earlier and more frequently than they can with traditional final exams.

Integrate exams into regular schedule to preserve instructional time

Administrators at profiled districts schedule their quarterly exams into the regular school day—they do not modify class schedules. Previously, administrators dedicated multiple early-release school days (i.e., days in which students leave after taking exams) to final exams. Now, students attend school as they would normally and take each quarterly exam within one standard class period. One district reports recouping over two weeks of instructional time through switching to quarterly exams. 

Write quarterly exams to fit within one class period

Administrators at District A design quarterly exams to take around 60-70 minutes—the length of one class period. At District E, administrators and teachers write first- and third-quarter exams to take 45 minutes and fit within a normal class period. However, second- and fourth-quarter…