An Investigation into the Effect that Final Exam Exemptions in Seventh and Eighth Grade Science Courses have on Students’ Ninth Grade Earth Science Regents’ Scores

Abstract

Virtually no research has ever been conducted examining the effect that exemptions from cumulative final examinations during the middle school years have on a student’s New York State Regents examination scores. The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a statistically significant difference in students' earth science Regents scores when they were given cumulative final exams during seventh and eighth grade as compared to those that were exempt from taking cumulative final exams during these years. The subjects in this study were 48 students attending a rural school in Central New York State over a three year period. Twenty-seven students who maintained a 90 or above average in science class during both seventh and eighth grade were exempt from taking cumulative final exams both years. Twenty-one students who maintained an 80-89.9 average in science class during seventh and eighth grade were required to take a cumulative final exam both years. All 48 students took the earth science Regents. The results of the Regents scores were compared using analysis of covariance. The results indicated that the 90 or above average students still scored significantly higher on the earth science regents even though they had not taken cumulative final exams during seventh and eighth grade.