Thanks to rising energy costs by Mr. Burns, Homer uses a discarded parking meter to make some extra money by planting it at various parking spots around town, while Bart is pressured by everyone at Springfield Elementary School to do well on the latest standardized test, because, if he doesn't, Springfield Elementary will shut down for having a low average.
Tropes:
- Biting-the-Hand Humor: A multiple choice question at the end of the episode suggests that FOX started with someone using a parking meter scam similar to Homer's.
- Chekhov's Gun: The beetle that Bart played with when everyone else in school were taking the test. At the end when Bart takes the test, the same beetle landed in Bart's final answer bubble, and the lead proctor mistakes it as one of Bart's answers (as the beetle's color is the same as the lead coloring in Bart's pencil). After counting up the score from the bubbles (including the one that the beetle landed on), the proctor happily announced to Bart that he made it at least by one point to pass the test and save the school from being shut down.
- Epic Fail: Springfield Elementary’s academic score before Bart takes his test is worse than an Elementary School in prison.
- Everyone Has Standards: At first, Bart doesn't care about the school being shut down due to his refusal to take the test, but upon receiving a nightmare about Springfield being the most stupidest town in the country because of his actions, Bart realizes that such a horrible fate is not worth it and agrees to take the exam, despite not being ready for it.
- Fire Alarm Distraction: Bart convinces Skinner to pull the fire alarm to clear out the building and give Bart one more day of studying for an important exam.
- Good Angel, Bad Angel: This happens when Skinner is pondering whether or not to pull the fire alarm to buy Bart more time to study. The good angel resembles Skinner, of course, but the "devil" resembles Agnes Skinner, whom calls the real Skinner a wimp and pulls the alarm.
- In a World…: Exaggerated in the trailer-style Couch Gag:
- Hope Spot: Skinner and Chalmers get their hopes up when Lisa tells them that one student didn't take the test, hoping it's Martin or some other honor student....only for those hope to take a nosedive when they hear it's Bart. Fortunately, at the end, Bart does pass the test by one point, much to Skinner and Chalmers' relief.Skinner: (To Lisa) I have an aunt named Hope, perhaps you want to kill her as well.
- Jury Duty: When Chief Wiggum catches Homer, he asks if Homer knows what happens to people who pull parking meter scams. Wiggum says that, once released from prison, they're no longer called for jury duty and considers it a good consequence.
- Mundane Made Awesome: The couch gag has the family treat it as if it were some sort of serious action movie, complete with Stuff Blowing Up.
- Never Found the Body: Lunchlady Doris got a job at Springfield Elementary School because no other school would hire a woman accused of murdering her husband. She commented she wasn't convicted because of this trope, in spite of her naming her latest dish "Chicken Pete Pie."
- Nice Guy: Marge to her usual dull degree. When she finds that her roll of paper towels has a single extra sheet more than it should, she decides to mail it back to the company.
- Protagonist-Centered Morality: We’re supposed to be happy that a school other than Springfield Elementary was torn down.
- Real Trailer, Fake Movie: The Couch Gag for this episode is a trailer for "The Couch" (Tagline: "Don't Get Comfortable").
- Shout-Out:
- When Bart imagined what Springfield would be like if the school closed, he imagined the school would become a spinach farm with farm hands dressed and looking like Popeye.
Bart: (grateful towards the beetle for helping him pass the test) That'll do, bug. That'll do.- After Bart passes the test, he thanks the beetle that "answered" the last question for him, and the beetle flies around a globe and the viewers are treated to the classic Superman: The Movie theme tune.
- Telepathic Sprinklers: This happens when the fire alarm is pulled, with the sprinklers activating throughout the hallways.
