Students skip math exams

One hundred eighteen students, more than six percent of all students not in honors-level courses, did not show up for their first semester mathematics final exam, according to a math department study of exam attendance. All 518 honors math students attended their final exam periods.

Administrator Linda Wanner was perplexed when, before final exams began in January, she heard about the practice of students not attending their final exams. Her inquiries helped to encourage the math department's study.

While this data highlights a disparity in attendance between honors and non-honors level students, math department resource teacher Barbara Hofman is not concerned. "I don't think it surprises any of us," she said. "Some students feel the exam doesn't matter, and they just don't care. I don't think this total is too bad."

Of the students who did not attend their math exams, 63 had received a loss of credit, and 70 more had failed the course both first and second quarters. A loss of credit occurs when a student has more than five unexcused absences for a semester. All students who receive a loss of credit or fail a course both quarters receive an ‘E' for the course regardless of their exam performance.

Math teacher Julie Greenberg, who has taught at other area high schools, said that other schools with demographics like Blair's have similar exam attendance rates among regular-level math course students. She criticized MCPS's grading policy, which allows students to not show up for an exam and still pass the course if they have received ‘D's or better for the two quarter grades.

The math department plans to revamp its Principles of Geometry and Algebra (PGA) course in response to generally poor student performance that was reflected in the absence of 18 of 83 PGA students at their January final exam. A proposal for a revised class called Principles of Geometry, Algebra and Entrepreneurship is pending approval before the course can be introduced next fall. The course would emphasize leadership roles and incentives for achievement.

Math teacher Angela Engelmann attributes the perfect exam attendance of her Algebra 1 and Geometry classes to incentives put in place by the Renaissance Awards Program. She also felt that sufficient review time before the test made students more comfortable as they took the exam.

While senior Carlton Byrd hasn't shown up for some of his math exams in the past, last semester he did attend. "As you get older, you get more mature," he explained. "I'm trying to get the best grades that I can get so I can go to college."