During the July 23 East Brunswick Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Dr. Mammon raised a topic that could impact many students and families in the district: the future role of midterm and final exams.
The discussion may not have been the biggest item on the agenda, but it raised an important question about how students are assessed and how schools continue to adapt.
Are traditional midterms and finals still the best way to measure what students know?
For decades, semester exams have been a familiar part of the high school experience. Students prepare for cumulative tests that cover material from a marking period or semester, and those exams become one piece of their overall grade.
But education continues to change, and districts across the country continue to look at how students demonstrate learning.
That does not mean there is one right answer.
The discussion around midterms and finals has become a balance between maintaining academic expectations while also looking at student stress, mental health, and whether traditional exams provide the most complete picture of student understanding.
Why Some Educators Still See Value in Midterms and Finals
Supporters of traditional exams point to the skills they can help develop.
Preparing for a large exam requires students to organize information, manage their time, and take responsibility for their own learning. Those are skills that can be valuable in college, careers, and everyday life.
A cumulative exam can also show whether students understand material beyond a single assignment or project.
For some students, learning how to prepare for a high-pressure situation is an important part of their education.
Why Some Schools Are Rethinking Traditional Exams
At the same time, many educators have questioned whether one or two major exams should carry significant weight in determining a student’s understanding of a subject.
A student may understand the material but struggle during a high-pressure testing environment. Another student may perform well on a test but have difficulty applying that knowledge outside of an exam setting.
Because of this, some schools have placed more emphasis on ongoing assessments, projects, presentations, writing assignments, and other ways for students to demonstrate what they have learned.
The goal is not necessarily fewer expectations. The goal is finding the best way to measure learning.
The Mental Health Conversation
Another important part of this discussion is the impact major exams can have on student stress.
The weeks leading up to midterms and finals can be challenging for many students as they balance multiple exams, assignments, activities, and other responsibilities.
That does not mean students should avoid difficult experiences. Learning how to handle pressure, prepare, and manage responsibilities are important life skills.
The question is how schools can maintain those expectations while also supporting student well-being.
During the BOE meeting, Dr. Mammon also spoke about balancing leadership responsibilities with everyday life, including the excitement of welcoming a new baby. That moment was a reminder that the people making decisions for our schools are also people managing the same challenges of balancing responsibilities and priorities.
Update: The following section was added after the original publication to provide additional context and transparency. As the discussion continued and more questions were raised, we wanted to include additional information gathered during our follow-up reporting.
How Comparable Districts Are Approaching Midterms and Finals
One of the most important parts of this discussion is looking beyond East Brunswick and seeing how other comparable districts approach student assessments.
This is not about whether schools value academic achievement. They do. The question is how those districts measure student learning and whether traditional midterms and finals are still the best way to accomplish that goal.
When looking at districts often compared with East Brunswick academically and demographically, there are several different approaches.
Edison and J.P. Stevens have moved away from a traditional midterm structure. According to the comparison reviewed, the district eliminated midterms years ago and adjusted its assessment model.
South Brunswick takes a more course-specific approach. Rather than having a separate districtwide midterm schedule, assessments depend on the individual course and are given during the regular class period.
West Windsor-Plainsboro North and South have moved away from the traditional midterm and final exam model, according to the comparison reviewed.
Rumson-Fair Haven Regional has also taken a different approach. The district still uses final assessments, but the format can include different options such as projects, videos, and alternative demonstrations of learning.
Monroe Township and Montgomery have moved away from traditional midterms while maintaining end-of-year finals.
Other districts in the comparison have also adjusted their assessment structures:
- South Plainfield eliminated midterms, moved to quarterly assessments, and later adjusted its approach again to focus on final exams.
- Woodbridge High School, including JFK and Colonia, uses a semester-based block schedule, meaning what may traditionally be considered a midterm functions differently because assessments occur within the course structure.
- North Brunswick does not use a separate midterm schedule and follows a quarterly approach.
- Sayreville uses quarterly assessments rather than traditional midterms.
- Highland Park does not use finals and uses quarterly assessments in areas such as English and math.
East Brunswick remains one of the districts using a more traditional midterm and final structure.
The larger takeaway is that districts with similar academic expectations have not all made the same decision. Some have removed traditional midterms, some have reduced their role, some have kept finals, and others have created different ways for students to demonstrate mastery.
The conversation happening in East Brunswick is not about lowering expectations. It is about asking whether the current assessment model is still the best fit for students today.
What Could This Mean for East Brunswick?
The conversation around midterms and finals is part of a much larger discussion happening in education.
Schools are constantly evaluating whether long-standing practices still align with their goals for students.
The question is not simply whether students should take exams.
The bigger question is whether the current approach gives educators the best understanding of what students know and what skills they are developing.
East Brunswick is now having that conversation.
Any changes to the district’s approach would require input from educators, administrators, students, and families. It is a discussion that will likely continue as schools look at how to balance academic rigor, student preparation, and the changing needs of today’s learners.
Sometimes the most important conversations at a Board of Education meeting are not about a final decision that has already been made.
They are about the questions being asked before those decisions happen.
