As some people say, in life there aren’t any retakes; a mistake is a mistake. We have to live with those mistakes, and learn from them. However, there are actually many more retakes than people might think. Driver’s licenses, standardized tests and Bar Exams all have retake opportunities. So why do people treat retakes as a bad thing?

Some teachers at CHS allow one retake per quarter, usually being the first test of the quarter. However, if retakes benefit students and help increase their scores, why don’t teachers allow retakes for every test?

According to a study on the effect of test retakes on long-term retention done by Bradley Parf, when students opted to retake tests more frequently throughout the semester, their performance on exams was better.

Schools across the county should take in consideration the high performance levels of students who retake tests as they will be more likely to succeed in certain courses. Opportunities to retake tests would benefit students who need more time to learn.

People learn at different speeds, and if they need a retake to help them learn material, they should be permitted the opportunity on every test.

According to a Matific article, some teachers promote retakes because it is unfair if a grade with no retake is a permanent mark on the student, even if the student later learns and masters the skill.

Additionally, having only one retake per quarter adds to student stress. Tests are a lot of pressure on students, so giving the option of retakes would help alleviate anxiety and improve student mental health.

On the other hand, some believe retakes could be potentially harming students. The lessons we learn in school are carried with us throughout our lives. Second chances, which promote laziness, should be removed so students can learn the skills necessary to perform well the first time.

However, architects, journalists and even teachers get redos many times throughout their careers. Schools should encourage the idea that mistakes are inevitable, and learning from mistakes, which is what retakes reinforce, is one way to ensure that the same ones are not made again.

When some students fail a test, they forget about it and move on. But, by offering retakes they are given another opportunity to actually learn the material or skills they did not understand before. In this instance, retakes help students fully learn the necessary material.

According to an Encompass Education study on retaking summative assessments at the high school level done by Katherine Gray, students who retook summative assessments retained more information and performed better than those who did not retake the assessments.

In conclusion, CHS should consider allowing students to retake tests more frequently. The benefits include but are not limited to high performance levels, increased information retention and a decrease in school-related anxiety and stress.