End of Course Tests (EOCs) have been around for a few years. EOCs were not always mandatory for every public school, well that was until 2009-2010 when the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) came along (Haynie 1). These tests are a dreaded topic among most public school students in various states. , especially those from North Carolina. The tests are especially horrible for a student at Middle Creek High School. Well, at least they are in my opinion. Initially, tests were used to ensure that students learned the required material throughout the school year. However, after the NCDPI intervened by granting EOC for eight classes taken in high school (Haynie 1). These tests are administered at the end of each of the eight courses to test students' level of mastery of each subject (Haynie 1). That was their goal, but they didn't end up that way. Testing has evolved into a way to determine a student's eligibility for graduation. However, EoCs do not test students; they are simply an attempt at academic recognition through high test scores. EOCs should not be eliminated but modified because they present problems like any other test. Tests do not test students because they lack rigor, are unfair to students at every academic level, and are a waste of money. Every class taught in a public high school should be rigorous. This should be especially true in the eight classes that require an EOC. Rigor is something that challenges and allows the student to think critically. Getting students to think critically will allow them to master the topic instead of memorizing information to pass a test. Memorizing information does not benefit the student; I'm up... in the middle of the paper... whether these tests are useful or not. Works Cited Haynie, Glenda. “End of Course Multiple Choice (EOC) Test Results.” Measure: Evaluation and Research Department. E&R Report 10.21 (February 2011): 1-3. Print."Helping children overcome test anxiety." American School Counselors Association. Network. February 21, 2011.Olson, Lynn. “States turn to end-of-course tests to strengthen high school curriculum.” Education Week (6 June 2001). Print."Performance of students in each course on the ABC end-of-course tests." 2009-2010. Education First NC School Report Card. Network. February 20, 2011. "Performance of Each Group of Students on the ABC End-of-Course Tests." 2009-2010. Education First NC School Report Card. Network. February 20, 2011."States Continue to Move to End-of-Course Exams." FairTest. The National Center for Fair and Open Testing. FairTest. Web. 21 February. 2011.