DGS has administered a new retake policy this school year. The policy states that a student may retake a test only if they have scored below an 80%, and the highest grade that they could receive on a retake is also an 80%.

Last school year, the retake policy allowed students to retake tests regardless of their results. Students could also receive any grade in return with no limits set in place.

Senior Sylvia Masiulionis has not yet retaken a test this school year, but does plan to utilize the new policy. Masiulionis shared her opinions regarding the policy.

“I’m glad that we still have it [the retake policy], but it is a little annoying that we can only get an 80 percent back,” Masiulionis said.

Masiulionis also stated that last year many students heavily relied on the ability to retake.

“A lot of students rely on retakes and don’t really study for the test when they take it the first time…so now that we only get 80 percent back, students will probably start studying more the first time around,” Masiulionis said.

Math teacher Alexis Domina is in favor of the new policy since she believes that it creates a good work ethic in students.

“I consistently taught freshmen last year…I saw how they would see a grade and panic. Now this year, I think students feel more incentive to do better the first time they take a test,” Domina said.

Domina explained the process behind creating tests, but now teachers and staff need to create two different tests–the original and the retake.

“Teachers collaborate to all create similar tests, but now with the retake it’s hard because now we need to make a second round. We worked on that a lot last year when they started allowing students to retake,” Domina said.

Junior Jaina Kolavennu expressed her opinion regarding the new retake policy.

“I don’t like it, I think you should be able to retake even if you don’t get lower than an 80 percent,” Kolavennu said.

Kolavennu feels strongly against the policy. She continued to speak on the reasons why she is not in favor of the policy.

“I could be doing better in some of my classes, but I’m not…I think a majority of students could agree with the fact that it’s not sustainable for the future,” Kolavennu said.

Senior Lucy Genin has a similar take on the policy.

“I think that it’s just a way to keep less students in the testing center at once and I feel like they could’ve organized the situation better,” Genin said.

Genin thinks that the new retake policy is stunting students academically.

“If a student wants to retake a test, the grade shouldn’t just stop at 80 percent. It’s stopping us from reaching our fullest potential,” Genin said.

To either retake or makeup a test in the testing center, it is required to sign up through Student Choice to make an appointment.