1. To Give Retakes or Not To Give Retakes, That is the Question
Test Retakes as an Intervention
Presenters: David Stormont and Michelle Harbin

2. Four Corners 1. Retakes allow students to learn more effectively.
2. Retakes are an effective RtI strategy.
3. Retakes allow students not to prepare for initial assessments.
4. Students should be allowed to do retakes.

3. Objectives for Session
Participants will learn philosophy regarding retakes based on current research
Participants will see how retake practices have been implemented at LT
Participants will have time to discuss or create a policy, retake guidelines, specific test retake guide or retake assessment

4. Why Retakes?
Essential outcomes have been identified and are the focus of study.
Formative assessments provide a picture of where students are in the learning process.
Summative assessments are used to see if students are meeting the outcomes for the course.
Goal of assessment is to see if students learned what they were supposed to. (Wiggins,1990)

5. Why Retakes?
FROM : Seven Practices for Effective Learning by Jay McTighe and Ken O'Connor
Practice 1: Use summative assessments to frame meaningful performance goals.
Practice 2: Show criteria and models in advance.
Practice 3: Assess before teaching.

6. FROM: Seven Practices (cont)
Practice 4: Offer appropriate choices.
Practice 5: Provide feedback early and often.
Practice 6: Encourage self-assessment and goal setting.
Practice 7: Allow new evidence of achievement to replace old evidence.

7. Two Main Concerns
Students may not take the first attempt seriously once they realize they'll have a second chance.
Teachers often become overwhelmed by the logistical challenges of providing multiple opportunities.
-Jay McTighe and Ken O'Connor, 12

8. Addressing concerns
To make this approach effective, teachers need to require their students to provide some evidence of the corrective action they will take—such as engaging in peer coaching, revising their report, or practicing the needed skill in a given way— before embarking on their “second chance.”
-Jay McTighe and Ken O'Connor, 12

9. From Fair Isn’t Always Equal by Rick Wormeli, Ch 10. pp. 131-136
All redone work is at teacher discretion
It must be within reason
Students must have been giving a sincere effort
Require parents to sign the original assignment or test, requesting the re-do
Require students to submit a plan of study that will enable them to improve their performance the second time around

10. Wormeli Continued
Identify a day by which time this (plan of study and/or re-do) will be accomplished or the grade is permanent
With the student, create a calendar of completion
Require student to submit original with the re-
done version
Reserve the right to give alternate versions
No re-dos the last week of the grading period

11. Implementation variations Science 1:
Philosophy:
Data:
Retake option of one exam out of the three offered per quarter.
held one week after initial exam, before and after school; one day only.
Original exam format: Multiple choice; T/F; matching.
Retake exam format: short answer, fill-in, essay.
Retake replaces grade if score improves.
Offers students opportunity to relearn material, earn back points from a poor exam.
Establishes tone in classroom of importance of exams.
Encourages students to seek assistance.
Offered once per quarter to keep students accountable for studying material for every exam.
Percentage of students retaking an exam = 10%-30%.
Percentage of students improving grade = ~40%.

12. Implementation variations Science 2:
Philosophy:
Data:
Retake option of two exams out of the six offered per quarter.
held one week after initial exam, before and after school one day only.
teachers rotate proctoring.
Original test format and Retake format are the same: multiple choice and short answer problems.
Retake replaces initial exam grade.
Retake exam does not get curve.
Offers students opportunity to relearn material, make up points for a poor exam.
Encourages students to seek assistance to learn material.
Offered twice per semester to keep students accountable for studying material for every exam.
Percentage of students improving grade = ~80%.

13. Implementation variations Science 3:
Philosophy:
Data:
Retake option for all six unit tests offered per semester.
Held two weeks after initial exam after school.
In order to be able to retake exam, students must complete review packet .
Original test format and Retake format are the same: multiple choice and short answer problems.
Retake replaces grade if score improves.
Offers students opportunity to relearn material, seek assistance from teacher.
Change for next year to offer two retake options per semester.
Percentage of students improving grade = 80-90%

14. Implementation variations English 1:
Philosophy:
Data:
Retake option for all exams per semester.
Held at teacher’s discretion
Students request retake from teacher and must come in for assistance.
Original exam format: Multiple choice; short answer.
Retake exam format: short answer, essay.
Retake replaces grade if score improves.
Offers students opportunity to relearn material, reread books and passages.
Additional teacher contact to reteach.
Percentage of students retaking an exam = 5%-10%.
Percentage of students improving grade = 80%.

15. Implementation variations Humanities 1:
Philosophy:
Data:
Retakes options currently under review, multiple options have been tried.
During school
Individual students/ small groups pulled out for retakes.
Entire class has been given retakes.
After school option for individual students.
Original test format and Retake format are the same.
Retake replaces grade if score improves.
Humanities philosophy that students should be given every chance to succeed.
Variable

16. Implementation variations History 1:
Philosophy:
Data:
Retake option for all formative assessments.
Formative assessment given mid unit – 70% cutoff for success.
Students not meeting cutoff have option of completing test corrections.
Completion of corrections earns a 70% on formative.
Offers students opportunity to relearn material, reread book passages, and to revisit essential outcomes.
The majority of students complete their test corrections.

17. Your turn In the next 10 minutes please:
Work together or on your own to discuss one or more of the following:
Retake policy ideas
Retake study plan for a particular unit or in general
Formative assessment retakes
Summative Assessment analysis sheet
Retake Assessment
Be ready to report at least one idea to the large group.

18. Sources
Wiggins, Grant. “The case for authentic assessment.” Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 2(2) < >.
McTighe, Jay and O'Connor, Ken. “Seven Practices for Effective Learning.” Educational Leadership 63 Nov. 2005: pdf
Wormeli, Rick. Fair Isn’t Always Equal: Assessing and Grading in the Differentiated Classroom. Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers, 2006.

19. Article handed out ASCD Journal
Educational Leadership Redos and Retakes Done Right, Rick Wormeli, November 2011 | Volume 69 | Number 3 Effective Grading Practices    Pages 22-26
/Redos%20%26%20Retakes%20Done%20R ight%20-%20Wormeli.pdf