The exam exemption policy at Athens Drive was updated and implemented August 25, 2025, the first day of school. The exam exemption policy is designed to encourage students to maintain good grades and limit absences by allowing them to opt out of teacher-made exams.
“The policy gives me the motivation to attend and pay attention in class. Having that to look forward to is good for me,” said Jonathan Cortez-Cruz, freshman at Athens Drive.
These exemptions were something that, previously, only seniors could look forward to. But as of the start of this new school year, the eligibility criteria have been revised to include all students, regardless of grade, provided they meet the requirements.
“The policy seems like a good thing that can help students with grades and increase their GPA with a good grade, I mean, if they’re attending class daily and get out of the exam, they should have an easy A,” said Cruz.
The previous policy stated that seniors from Athens Drive with a grade of B or higher in a class and fewer than 10 absences could be exempt from teacher-made exams. This does not apply to all exams, but only to those not required by state testing.
“Seniors have taken this test and have taken all their exams to graduate. As a freshman and sophomore, I think that they should not be exempt from testing because there is not a big test for them to determine whether they pass the class or not,” said Eva Hamm, junior at Athens Drive.
Many students have different opinions about the policy. Some are excited, some are upset and some are unbothered. The primary change in the policy is that any student, regardless of grade, can now be exempt. Being able to skip out on an exam can be very appealing to students for several reasons. The motivation to skip an exam can help students maintain good grades and attendance, and will give them an extra day during exam week to study, sleep, or simply relax and take a break after back-to-back exams. Having multiple classes with exempt exams means less stress during exam week for eligible students.
“I believe only juniors and seniors should be eligible for the exemption,” said Hamm. “I think there should be a student exemption, but only to an extent. As a junior this year, I am taking the SATs, which is a college test. I think that’s more important.”
The difference between the experiences of the upper and lower classes is apparent in the new class of 2029, as this revised policy provides them with a greater gain than the upperclassmen did during their first year.
This policy change allows freshmen to achieve better exam outcomes and helps them develop the motivation to attend class and work hard early on, rather than later in their high school years.
“I think it’s good they changed it, and if you put your mind to it, it’s achievable,” said Cruz. “Everyone should get the opportunity, and I’m excited to have that opportunity.”
Many students view this as a fair change and are glad that no grade has an advantage over the others when it comes to exams.
“I would agree with this new policy, but I think there should be a big test that freshmen/sophomores should take to determine how much they learned in the class,” said Hamm, “Lots of students have used AI/technology to pass the class without actually learning the material. To graduate, I think you have to prove that you deserve all the credits you have.”
