Danbury school board votes to eliminate final, midterm exams

DANBURY (WABC) -- One high school in Connecticut is getting ready for summer break with students preparing for finals one last time. But that won't be the case next year.

The Danbury school board voted Wednesday night to get rid of midterms and finals at Danbury High School, the largest school in the state.

It says too many hours of instruction time are lost preparing for and administering tests.

Instead, the staff will work on alternative methods of gauging students' knowledge on certain subjects.

"That's good," student Jake Paonessa said. "Good stuff. That's two weeks of non-misery."

Administrators say project-based learning is a better approach -- assignments that require research and presentations that they say more accurately reflects knowledge of the subject matter.

Most, but not all, parents are in favor of the change that would go into effect in September.

"I think it makes the kids study a little harder and get them ready for college," parent Ernie Garnett said. "I don't understand why they're doing it."

Danbury will be the first district in Connecticut to eliminate finals, but probably not the last. Other school boards have already expressed interest in following suit.