Spring fever, sports and Regents exams top the talk in high schools across New York State these days. Recent years have brought on a great number of changes in testing requirements. Students and parents alike want to know just what is required and how best to succeed on these high-stakes, state-mandated exams.

Following are answers to important questions you may have about your son or daughter’s upcoming Regents exams. More information can be found at the New York State Education Department’s website, http://www.nysed.gov, or by speaking with a school guidance counselor.

Which Regents exams does my child need to pass to graduate?

Students who entered ninth grade in September 2001 must meet the toughest graduation requirements in New York State’s history. In addition to 22 course credits, they must take five Regents exams: one in English, one in math, two in social studies and one in science. They no longer have the option of earning a local diploma. All students who complete these requirements will be awarded a Regents diploma. Those who are striving for an Advanced Regents diploma take three added exams: one more in math, one more in science and one in a foreign language.

Students who entered ninth grade prior to 2001 have different testing requirements, as noted on the chart below. They also still have the option of earning a local diploma.

New York State has set the passing score on all Regents exams at 65 for students entering ninth grade in 2001 (this year’s freshmen). For students who entered high school before 2001, districts have been given the option of lowering the passing score to 55. Port Jervis has chosen to adopt this option. However, students who score between 55 and 64 on the required exams can only earn a local diploma, not a Regents diploma. Students who DO NOT pass exams are encouraged to retake the tests. They may also remain in high school until age 21 if they need more time to meet the standards.

High school seniors who have previously taken the English or math exams at least twice and have earned a score between 48 and 64 are eligible for "component retesting." The district identifies a student’s weaknesses. Then the student is retested on those specific skills, rather than having to retake the entire test. For more information, go to www.emsc.nysed.gov or speak with a guidance counselor.

If your child is "limited English proficient," there are several options. All Regents exams EXCEPT the English exam are translated into Spanish, Korean, Haitian-Creole, Chinese, and Russian. If your child’s first language is something else, oral translations by a bilingual proctor are permitted. Students also can be provided with bilingual glossaries and testing modifications.

As Regents week, June 18-25, approaches, teachers will be helping students with test preparation. Practice Regents exams are also available in bookstores and online at:
http://regentsprep.org, www.barronsregents.com, and www.edusolution.com/regentsquiz.

Safety net extended for students with disabilities

While the local diploma is being phased out for most students, it is going to continue to be available to students with disabilities who enter the ninth grade up through 2004. These students still must take the five required Regents exams. However, if they fail to pass one or more exams, students with disabilities who pass a Regents Competency Test (RCT) in the same subject would then qualify for a local diploma. This "safety net" applies to any student who has been identified through the Committee on Special Education (CSE) or through a Section 504 Multidisciplinary Team. It is also available to students with disabilities who have been "declassified" in grades 8-12, if recommended and documented by a CSE.

It is important to note that more and more students with special needs are successfully navigating these high-stakes exams, graduating and moving into jobs and institutions of higher education. Modifications specific to each student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) are permitted. Examples are extended time for taking the test, enlarged type and modified testing environments (small groups or one-on-one proctoring).

This chart shows the phase-in of the Regents testing requirements that began with the entering ninth graders in 1996 (the Class of 2000) and culminates with this year’s entering ninth graders (the Class of 2005). This chart only applies to those school districts that temporarily adopted a lower passing score of 55. For other districts, the passing scores remain at 65 throughout the phase-in period.