Congratulations! The Regents responded to your call for a delay in raising the high school graduation requirements and also made significant changes to both the Math A and Physics Regents exams.
On the recommendation of Commissioner Mills, the Regents agreed to:
1. Retain 55 as a local option passing score to give students and schools more time to boost achievement. This provision pertains to all students now in high school and for those entering 9th grade in the fall of 2004. Students who score 55 or higher on 5 Regents exams (English, Math, Science, Global Studies and US History) will receive local diplomas. Regents diplomas will continue to be awarded to students who pass 8 Regents exams with scores of 65 or higher. The Advanced Regents Diploma which was supposed to be implemented in 2005 is now on hold.
2. Continue the Regents Competency Tests (RCT) known as the "safety net" for students with disabilities through the fall of 2009.
3. Adopt the major recommendations of the Independent Panel on Regents Math A which include: revising the standards, curriculum and exam. The panel concluded that "the standards were not clear and that necessary support systems for students and teachers are not in place." A Mathematics Standards Committee comprised of math teachers, mathematicians and professionals who use mathematics will be appointed to overhaul the standards. In addition, a "suggested" grade-by-grade K-12 curriculum that matches the revised standards will be published. A new Regents Math A exam will be designed that will cover a year of math instruction rather than 1 ½ years. The Department will also develop a network of math training for teachers. NYSSBA commends the panel for their fine work. The report can be found on SED's website at www.regents.nysed.gov/October2003/1003brd3.html
4. Convene a committee of practitioners to establish new scoring for the
next Regents Physics Exam. The Regents agreed physics should be accessible to all students, not just the elite. After a heated debate, the Regents directed the Commissioner to come up with a plan for adjusting the physics scores of the students who failed the exam, but remain in high school. Citing concerns over pending litigation and precedent, Mills urged the Regents to back off from this directive, but he eventually acceded to their wishes.
While these initiatives are certainly a step in the right direction and long overdue, we believe the state must come up with alternative courses and multiple ways for assessing students. We will continue to advocate on your behalf for these changes. It is probably no coincidence that the Regents opted to take action on these issues before legislative hearings on the Regents testing system conclude. A joint-hearing of the Senate and Assembly Education Committees will be held in Albany on October 22. While at convention, you might want to stop by the Rochester City Hall for an Assembly hearing on October 23rd. City Hall is two blocks from the Convention Center on Main Street. The hearings will be held in Room 406.
Diane S. Ward
Governmental Relations Representative
New York State School Boards Association
24 Century Hill Drive
Latham, NY 12110
518-783-0200 Phone
518-783-3542 Fax
diane.ward@nyssba.org