Second-chance learning is a system meant to help students when they need to redo a specific quiz or test in which they received a poor grade. Although it seems like a beneficial idea at first glance, the fact is that it applies only within certain boundaries. Students have found that the system is still somewhat dependent on the teacher, honors students receive fewer benefits if they intend to remain in honors courses, and it can only be used once in the year. 

This system is a relatively new one, and with new ideas come new opinions. Most teachers seem to be in support of second chance learning; however, there are many students who don’t have a positive impression of it. They seem to think that the system is “all talk” and does not truly have the best interests of the students in mind. 

Advocating for this is Nivedha Karthikeyan, a student familiar with the process. 

“The system doesn’t really favor us,” Karthikeyan said. “It seems like it’s more something that checks a box, so it can be said that the school did something.” 

Others seem to share the same idea, believing the system to favor the school rather than its students.

Not to mention, the system isn’t as helpful for those in honors or AP classes because a second chance may be one chance too many. If teachers decide to move students out of advanced classes, it is seen as warranted because honors-level students have higher expectations. 

What’s more, when it comes to larger tests, there are teachers who don’t offer second-chance learning as an option because they want to focus on quizzes and smaller assignments which were outliers in the students’ averages. 

Overall, it seems that this system is a topic that students’ and teachers’ opinions diverge on. But for now, second chances are here to stay.