Teacher urges Rockwall ISD board to restore midterms and finals for grades 7–12

During the board’s public‑comment period, Katie Tanner, who identified herself as a teacher and long‑term substitute in the district, urged trustees to bring back midterm and final exams for grades 7–12 beginning next school year.

Tanner said midterms and finals provide a visible “finish line” for students and teachers and argued that without them the end of the semester loses focus. “Midterm exams and final exams give students and teachers a finish line that they can work toward,” she said. She expressed concern that when standardized testing such as STAAR becomes the perceived finish line, secondary students lose motivation for classroom work that extends past testing windows.

Tanner recommended that exams be teacher‑made and carry meaningful weight in the gradebook. She suggested placing exams at 20% of a semester grade rather than lower percentages such as 7 or 10 percent, which she said allow students to fail an exam without affecting overall semester performance. She also asked the board to consider built‑in retake opportunities and schedules to help seniors who might be at risk of not graduating because of an exam failure.

The board did not deliberate on Tanner’s request during the public comment period; trustees noted that public comments prompt staff review and, if appropriate, an administrative response later. The board’s public‑comment policy restricts deliberation on matters not posted on the agenda.