Regents Examinations
Encyclopedia
Regents High School examinations, sometimes shortened to the Regents, are mandatory in New York State through the New York State Education Department
, designed and administered under the authority of the Board of Regents
of the University of the State of New York
. Regents exams are prepared by a conference of selected New York teachers of each test's specific discipline who assemble a "test map" that highlights the skills and knowledge required from the specific discipline's learning standards. The conferences meet and design the tests three years before the tests' issuance which includes time for field testing and evaluating testing questions. The font
in which the exams are written is Caledonia (typeface)
.
, the New York state legislature passed an ordinance creating the Regents examination system. This ordinance included the following provisions for assessment of students: "At the close of each academic term, a public examination shall be held of all scholars presumed to have completed preliminary studies. . . .To each scholar who sustains such examination, a certificate shall entitle the person holding it to admission into the academic class in any academy subject to the visitation of the Regents, without further examination."
A careful reading of the ordinance illuminates much about the legislature’s intent in establishing the Regents examination system. The central idea of the legislation was to create an educational control system that could be used to regulate the flow of funds to the well established academy system of schools that existed throughout the state of New York. This goal would be accomplished by: 1) creating a Regents examination system, which would measure student achievement through process of examination; and 2) creating a new and privileged class of students in the secondary schools of New York. The new class of students would be called the “academic class,” and those students who qualified for admission to it by sustaining a process of examination would be known as “academic scholars.” Academic scholars, and the institutions with which they were affiliated, would receive recognition and privilege under New York’s school funding formula.
The focus of the ordinance was on assessing student achievement in the preliminary, or elementary curricula. In essence, the examinations were being positioned in the primary role of gatekeeper between the primary and secondary schools of the state of New York. The need for a gatekeeper examination system was due in part to the state’s 1864 school funding formula, which allocated public funds to private academies based on criteria that included the number of enrolled students. Typically, the academies used money distributed from the state literature fund to offset operating expenses, and any expenses in excess of funds received from the State were passed on to students and their families in the form of “rate bills.” Under this system, individual academies could realize economic advantages by lowering academic standards and enrolling less qualified students. In 1864, during a time of war, the New York legislature became concerned about this issue of who was and who was not qualified to be enrolled in the common, mostly private academies of the state and also in the rare, public high schools of the state. The timing of the legislature’s concern and actions in 1864 may have been related to two conditions that existed during the Civil War: the military’s need for young men of fighting age and a period of fiscal austerity in school funding.
The first Regents examinations were administered in November 1866. In 1878, the Regents examination system was expanded to assess the curricula taught in the secondary schools of New York. From the original five exams (algebra, Latin, American History, natural philosophy, natural geography), the State Education Department expanded the Regents Exams offerings to forty-two tests in 1879; tests were administered in November, February, and June. Throughout the 1920s and into the 1930s vocational education Regents Exams were approved and administered. These included, but were not limited to, agricultural science, costume draping, and salesmanship. By 1970 the number and types of Regents Exams changed to reflect the changes in high school curriculum: vocational exams were discontinued, and the sheer number of exams were either dropped or consolidated as the curricular emphasis trended toward comprehensive examinations rather than the singularly focused tests of the past. Today there is a distinct mixture of comprehensive style exams (English Language Arts, and Foreign Languages) and the “older” singular style exams (Social Studies, Sciences, and Math).
In August 2011, Bloomberg and 5 other private donaters donated enough money to keep the regents administered in January 2012. All other exams set to be canceled (such as the 3rd and 8th Grade Social Studies exams, Foreign Language regents, etc.) are back to being administered. What will happen in the future is unknown.
is required to follow specific regulations for administering the test — e.g., regulations for students leaving the room during the tests, the prohibition of cell phone use by students during a test, and the handling of the test papers. Students are required to answer the regents in pen, with the exception of graphs, which must be done in pencil. Proctors are required to sign an oath stating that they have followed the regulations, and students also sign an oath stating that they have not received assistance or otherwise cheated on the test. If a student's cell phone (or any other electronic device) makes noise, the student's test will become void, and he/she must retake that exam at a later time.
- A student that earns an aggregate score of 90 or better (without rounding) is eligible for a Regents Diploma or Advanced Regents Diploma with Honors.
- A student that earns a score of 85 or better on all of the required mathematics Regents examinations is eligible for an annotation on their diploma that states that the student has mastery in mathematics.
Most Regents exams are structured in the following format:
In 2005, the Board of Regents began modifying the Mathematics
curriculum. An integrated approach that taught topics in geometry and algebra during each of three years, with exams normally taken after a year and a half and again after three years, was replaced by a curriculum that divides topics into Algebra
I, Geometry
, and Algebra II and Trigonometry
. Each of these take the form of a one-year course with a Regents Examination at the end of the year. The "Math A" and "Math B" exams are thus being eliminated and replaced by "Integrated Algebra", "Geometry", and "Algebra II and Trigonometry".
as per the state's standards for English Language Arts.
The exam was administered in two three-hour sessions, usually on different days. There are four separate parts:
As of 2011, the ELA Examination will be shortened to include only the Task IV paper. However, the other tasks will still be included in limited form; no essay will be required of them, but they will still be present. The examination will be geared to focus more on reading comprehension rather than writing.
schools, similar in character to charter school
s, were founded in parts of New York in an attempt to provide a way for students to graduate from high school without taking any Regents Exams. Usually, the substitute graduation assessement involved would consist of the review and grading, by a panel of teachers, of an academic portfolio — a collection of the student's best work from all his or her years at the school. From such a "portfolio examination" would be issued a "Regents equivalency" grade for the areas of Math, English, History, and Science, and a "Regents Equivalency" diploma would be awarded to the student at commencement.
However, by the end of the 1990s most, if not all, of these self-labeled "alternative schools" have been forced to adopt some or all of the standard Regents Exam, and can no longer use portfolio examination criteria as the sole basis for graduation from the school. A notable example of this progression from full portfolio-based assessment to the use of an integrated Regents Exam based assessment portfolio assessment is The Beacon School
although students only have to take the ELA regent.
Though all public schools are required to follow either the Regents Exam system or some form of alternative assessment, private schools may or may not follow either of these systems. The vast majority of private schools actually do use Regents exams and award Regents diplomas, but some especially academically prestigious private schools do not. These schools' argument is that their own diploma requirements exceed Regents standards. Schools run by the Society of Jesus
, such as Canisius High School
, Fordham Prep
, McQuaid Jesuit
and Regis
, and the Society of Mary (Marianists)
, such as Chaminade
and Kellenberg
, have not used Regents exams for decades. Additionally, some other schools like The Masters School
, The Ursuline School
, The Hackley School
, The Harvey School
, Long Island Lutheran Middle & High School
, and Nichols School
not associated with those groups do not use the Regents system. Private schools that do not participate in the Regents system set academic assessments and graduation requirements that exceed those of their Regents peers.
Additionally, in some schools, individual students whose native language is not English can sometimes be exempted from taking the Regents Examination in Languages other than English (RE-LOE) if they complete a sequence in Art/Music, Business, and Technology (usually composed of five credits).
Successfully completed Advanced Placement exams
are another example through which a student may become exempt of the Regents examination for that subject (e.g., AP American History in place of the U.S. History and Government Regents).
students with Individualized Education Program
s or students with a 504 plan seeking a high school diploma
but cannot pass the standard Regents exams. This is given through the New York State Education Department
, designed and administered under the authority of the Board of Regents
of the University of the State of New York
.
The RCT's can be taken before a student fails the corresponding Regents exam if this will help them be less stress
ed when taking the Regents, so they know that graduation does not hinge on a Regents exam. However there are some RCT exams that must be taken after a student fails the corresponding Regents exam. The RCT's are available for students until they graduate or when they turn 21. If they still cannot pass all of the RCT exams, an IEP diploma is awarded instead. An IEP diploma is not the equivalent to a high school diploma. This is a certificate given to students who complete the twelfth grade
but do not pass required testing. It is sometimes referred to as a certificate of attendance
. This diploma can be given to special education and general education students.
There are 6 RCT's that are administered. They can be taken in January, June and August. The Global and U.S. History Regents are the only exception that does not allow students to take the RCT tests before students fail the corresponding Regents exam.
For students entering in 9th grade in 2008 and beyond, local diplomas will no longer be available, so all students must get a 65 or above on all required Regents exams.
Minimum grade required for a regents w/ advanced designation to graduate: Same grades as required for a Regent's Diploma.
8 credits 10th grade standing
8 credits 11th grade standing
8 credits 12th grade standing
__ __
24 credits Total
New York State Education Department
The New York State Education Department is the state education department in New York. It is part of the University of the State of New York , one of the most complete, interconnected systems of educational services in the United States...
, designed and administered under the authority of the Board of Regents
Board of Regents
In the United States, a board often governs public institutions of higher education, which include both state universities and community colleges. In each US state, such boards may govern either the state university system, individual colleges and universities, or both. In general they operate as...
of the University of the State of New York
University of the State of New York
The University of the State of New York is the State of New York's governmental umbrella organization responsible for most institutions and people in any way connected with formal educational functions, public and private, in New York State...
. Regents exams are prepared by a conference of selected New York teachers of each test's specific discipline who assemble a "test map" that highlights the skills and knowledge required from the specific discipline's learning standards. The conferences meet and design the tests three years before the tests' issuance which includes time for field testing and evaluating testing questions. The font
Font
In typography, a font is traditionally defined as a quantity of sorts composing a complete character set of a single size and style of a particular typeface...
in which the exams are written is Caledonia (typeface)
Caledonia (typeface)
Caledonia is a transitional serif typeface designed by William Addison Dwiggins in 1938 for the Mergenthaler Linotype Company.Dwiggins chose the name Caledonia, the Roman name for Scotland, to express the face's basis on the early nineteenth century Scotch Roman typeface however, though Dwiggins...
.
History
On July 27, 1864, during the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, the New York state legislature passed an ordinance creating the Regents examination system. This ordinance included the following provisions for assessment of students: "At the close of each academic term, a public examination shall be held of all scholars presumed to have completed preliminary studies. . . .To each scholar who sustains such examination, a certificate shall entitle the person holding it to admission into the academic class in any academy subject to the visitation of the Regents, without further examination."
A careful reading of the ordinance illuminates much about the legislature’s intent in establishing the Regents examination system. The central idea of the legislation was to create an educational control system that could be used to regulate the flow of funds to the well established academy system of schools that existed throughout the state of New York. This goal would be accomplished by: 1) creating a Regents examination system, which would measure student achievement through process of examination; and 2) creating a new and privileged class of students in the secondary schools of New York. The new class of students would be called the “academic class,” and those students who qualified for admission to it by sustaining a process of examination would be known as “academic scholars.” Academic scholars, and the institutions with which they were affiliated, would receive recognition and privilege under New York’s school funding formula.
The focus of the ordinance was on assessing student achievement in the preliminary, or elementary curricula. In essence, the examinations were being positioned in the primary role of gatekeeper between the primary and secondary schools of the state of New York. The need for a gatekeeper examination system was due in part to the state’s 1864 school funding formula, which allocated public funds to private academies based on criteria that included the number of enrolled students. Typically, the academies used money distributed from the state literature fund to offset operating expenses, and any expenses in excess of funds received from the State were passed on to students and their families in the form of “rate bills.” Under this system, individual academies could realize economic advantages by lowering academic standards and enrolling less qualified students. In 1864, during a time of war, the New York legislature became concerned about this issue of who was and who was not qualified to be enrolled in the common, mostly private academies of the state and also in the rare, public high schools of the state. The timing of the legislature’s concern and actions in 1864 may have been related to two conditions that existed during the Civil War: the military’s need for young men of fighting age and a period of fiscal austerity in school funding.
The first Regents examinations were administered in November 1866. In 1878, the Regents examination system was expanded to assess the curricula taught in the secondary schools of New York. From the original five exams (algebra, Latin, American History, natural philosophy, natural geography), the State Education Department expanded the Regents Exams offerings to forty-two tests in 1879; tests were administered in November, February, and June. Throughout the 1920s and into the 1930s vocational education Regents Exams were approved and administered. These included, but were not limited to, agricultural science, costume draping, and salesmanship. By 1970 the number and types of Regents Exams changed to reflect the changes in high school curriculum: vocational exams were discontinued, and the sheer number of exams were either dropped or consolidated as the curricular emphasis trended toward comprehensive examinations rather than the singularly focused tests of the past. Today there is a distinct mixture of comprehensive style exams (English Language Arts, and Foreign Languages) and the “older” singular style exams (Social Studies, Sciences, and Math).
2010 Changes
Due to budget cuts, the Board of Regents voted to cancel 7th Grade regents (Integrated Algebra, Geometry, and Living Environment) who were in 7th grade Honors/Accelerated Programs in Math and Science.2011 Changes
On May 16, 2011, in the face of an $8 million budget gap, the Board of Regents voted to reduce the number of tests administered. There will no longer be any Foreign Language exams. Furthermore, there will no longer be any tests administered during the month of January; only 6 Regents exams are being offered in August 2011, plus some RCTs - see the NYS August Exam Schedule.In August 2011, Bloomberg and 5 other private donaters donated enough money to keep the regents administered in January 2012. All other exams set to be canceled (such as the 3rd and 8th Grade Social Studies exams, Foreign Language regents, etc.) are back to being administered. What will happen in the future is unknown.
Exam protocol
The exams themselves are administered according to strict and specific instructions: printed on the cover of each exam booklet is the date and time when the examination is to begin, and the proctorProctor
Proctor, a variant of the word procurator, is a person who takes charge of, or acts for, another. The word proctor is frequently used to describe someone who oversees an exam or dormitory.The title is used in England in three principal senses:...
is required to follow specific regulations for administering the test — e.g., regulations for students leaving the room during the tests, the prohibition of cell phone use by students during a test, and the handling of the test papers. Students are required to answer the regents in pen, with the exception of graphs, which must be done in pencil. Proctors are required to sign an oath stating that they have followed the regulations, and students also sign an oath stating that they have not received assistance or otherwise cheated on the test. If a student's cell phone (or any other electronic device) makes noise, the student's test will become void, and he/she must retake that exam at a later time.
Diploma eligibility
To graduate with what is called a "Regents' diploma", students are required to have earned appropriate credits in a number of specific subjects by passing year-long or half-year courses, after which they must earn a score of 65 points or better on the Regents' examination in that subject area. This expectation is in addition to passing the courses themselves, the passing grade of which is based on an individual teacher's or school's own tests and classwork.Diploma honors
The New York State Board of Regents offers the following honors to students with exemplary academic performance:- A student that earns an aggregate score of 90 or better (without rounding) is eligible for a Regents Diploma or Advanced Regents Diploma with Honors.
- A student that earns a score of 85 or better on all of the required mathematics Regents examinations is eligible for an annotation on their diploma that states that the student has mastery in mathematics.
Required exams
To receive a regular high school diploma, students in New York State must pass, with a score of 65 or higher, five Regents Exams: Integrated Algebra (or Math A), Global History and Geography, U.S. History and Government, Comprehensive English, and any one science regents. To receive an Advanced Regents Diploma, students must also pass an additional Regents science exam, (Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, or Physics), one or two additional math exams (Geometry and Algebra 2/ Trigonometry if they've taken Integrated Algebra, or a choice of Math B or Alg2/Trig if they've taken Math A).Formats
Most Regents exams are three hours long. The exceptions are the Earth Science exam and foreign language exams. Earth Science consists of a 41 minute (approximate) laboratory component usually given up to two weeks prior to the three hour written exam. The format of the Earth Science laboratory component is presently changing. Several of the foreign language Regents have oral exams which are administered before the written test and are not part of the three hour time limit.Most Regents exams are structured in the following format:
- A multiple-choice section (Part I), which is usually between 30 to 50 questions, and,
- a long-answer/essay section (Part II), which consists of either a selection of detailed questions for which the work must be shown (for math and physical sciences), or a set of essay topics, of which one or two must be written about in detail (for the social sciences).
In 2005, the Board of Regents began modifying the Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
curriculum. An integrated approach that taught topics in geometry and algebra during each of three years, with exams normally taken after a year and a half and again after three years, was replaced by a curriculum that divides topics into Algebra
Algebra
Algebra is the branch of mathematics concerning the study of the rules of operations and relations, and the constructions and concepts arising from them, including terms, polynomials, equations and algebraic structures...
I, Geometry
Geometry
Geometry arose as the field of knowledge dealing with spatial relationships. Geometry was one of the two fields of pre-modern mathematics, the other being the study of numbers ....
, and Algebra II and Trigonometry
Trigonometry
Trigonometry is a branch of mathematics that studies triangles and the relationships between their sides and the angles between these sides. Trigonometry defines the trigonometric functions, which describe those relationships and have applicability to cyclical phenomena, such as waves...
. Each of these take the form of a one-year course with a Regents Examination at the end of the year. The "Math A" and "Math B" exams are thus being eliminated and replaced by "Integrated Algebra", "Geometry", and "Algebra II and Trigonometry".
English Language Arts
The English Regents required four essays, each structured differently. Combined, they are intended to assess students' abilities to read, write and listen for:- information and understanding,
- literary response and expression,
- critical analysis and evaluation, and
- social interaction,
as per the state's standards for English Language Arts.
The exam was administered in two three-hour sessions, usually on different days. There are four separate parts:
- Task I-A: A passage is read aloud to students twice, from which they may take notes. They must then answer six multiple-choice questions and then write a persuasive essayEssayAn essay is a piece of writing which is often written from an author's personal point of view. Essays can consist of a number of elements, including: literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author. The definition...
, following several guidelines for a specific audience based on information in the passage. For the 2011 exam, the essay was removed and two multiple-choice questions were added for a total of eight questions.
- Task II-B: Students must follow guidelines to write another persuasive essayPersuasive writingPersuasive writing, could be referred to as a creative writing or an argument, in which the speaker uses words to convince the reader of a writer’s view regarding an issue. Persuasive writing involves convincing the reader to perform an action, or it may simply consist of an argument convincing the...
, and answer 10 multiple-choice questions, incorporating information based on two documents. One is a written passage typically almost two pages long, the other is usually a chartChartA chart is a graphical representation of data, in which "the data is represented by symbols, such as bars in a bar chart, lines in a line chart, or slices in a pie chart"...
or tableTable (information)A table is a means of arranging data in rows and columns.Production % of goalNorth 4087102%South 4093110% The use of tables is pervasive throughout all communication, research and data analysis. Tables appear in print media, handwritten notes, computer software, architectural...
, but can also be a graphic. The graphic was replaced by another passage for the 2011 exam. In addition, there are now 2 sets of 6 questions for each passage, totaling 12 questions.
- Task III-A: Students again develop an essay on a general theme from two different documents, one proseProseProse is the most typical form of written language, applying ordinary grammatical structure and natural flow of speech rather than rhythmic structure...
, the other a poemPoetryPoetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
. There are also ten multiple-choice questions. For the 2011 exam, the essay was simplified into two paragraphs in which students write about the theme seen in both passages and then explain about one specific literary element from one passage.
- Task IV-B: The final section is the "critical lensCritical lensA 'critical lens' essay is frequently used in schools and on New York State Regents Examinations. The essay states whether a quote is valid or invalid, and explains why using literary devices from pieces of literature. It is an analysis of the quote and uses literary elements and techniques to do...
" essay. Students are provided with a brief quotationQuotationA quotation or quote is the repetition of one expression as part of another one, particularly when the quoted expression is well-known or explicitly attributed by citation to its original source, and it is indicated by quotation marks.A quotation can also refer to the repeated use of units of any...
, the critical lensCritical lensA 'critical lens' essay is frequently used in schools and on New York State Regents Examinations. The essay states whether a quote is valid or invalid, and explains why using literary devices from pieces of literature. It is an analysis of the quote and uses literary elements and techniques to do...
, which they must then use as the basis for an essay interpreting two literary works of their choice, often ones they have read in class. There are no multiple-choice questions on this section. This was the only section not to be changed for the 2011 exam.
As of 2011, the ELA Examination will be shortened to include only the Task IV paper. However, the other tasks will still be included in limited form; no essay will be required of them, but they will still be present. The examination will be geared to focus more on reading comprehension rather than writing.
Earth Science Laboratory Practical
The format of the laboratory practical for Earth Science was changed in 2008. Currently, it consists of 3 sections, each with a time limit of nine minutes. While administering the test, there are multiple stations for each section. Each station uses different data, but the same task. For example, each section 1 station may have different rocks and minerals, though the task will be the same.- Section 1: Students must identify a mineral by testing various properties, using a provided flowchart. Students must also classify two rocks as igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic, and give the reason why.
- Section 2: Students must find the epicenter of an earthquake. Using a provided map, one must triangulate the location of the epicenter using data from three seismograms.
- Section 3: Students must draw an ellipse and compare it to the orbit of a planet in our solar system.
- A Chemistry and Physics Lab Practical is still being decided upon.
Exemptions from the Regents Exams
During the 1990s, some alternative assessmentAlternative assessment
In the education industry, alternative assessment or portfolio assessment is in direct contrast to what is known as performance evaluation, traditional assessment, standardized assessment or summative assessment...
schools, similar in character to charter school
Charter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
s, were founded in parts of New York in an attempt to provide a way for students to graduate from high school without taking any Regents Exams. Usually, the substitute graduation assessement involved would consist of the review and grading, by a panel of teachers, of an academic portfolio — a collection of the student's best work from all his or her years at the school. From such a "portfolio examination" would be issued a "Regents equivalency" grade for the areas of Math, English, History, and Science, and a "Regents Equivalency" diploma would be awarded to the student at commencement.
However, by the end of the 1990s most, if not all, of these self-labeled "alternative schools" have been forced to adopt some or all of the standard Regents Exam, and can no longer use portfolio examination criteria as the sole basis for graduation from the school. A notable example of this progression from full portfolio-based assessment to the use of an integrated Regents Exam based assessment portfolio assessment is The Beacon School
The Beacon School
The Beacon School is a formerly alternative assessment, now "performance-based assessment" public high school on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, near Lincoln Center and Columbus Circle. The initial founding of Beacon in 1993 was intended as an alternative to the Regents Exam-based testing system...
although students only have to take the ELA regent.
Though all public schools are required to follow either the Regents Exam system or some form of alternative assessment, private schools may or may not follow either of these systems. The vast majority of private schools actually do use Regents exams and award Regents diplomas, but some especially academically prestigious private schools do not. These schools' argument is that their own diploma requirements exceed Regents standards. Schools run by the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
, such as Canisius High School
Canisius High School
Canisius High School is a Roman Catholic Jesuit private high school for young men. Canisius located at 1180 Delaware Avenue in Buffalo, New York, United States, just north of the Delaware Avenue Historic District. Founded in 1870, the school has historical ties to Canisius College...
, Fordham Prep
Fordham Preparatory School
Fordham Preparatory School is a private Jesuit all-boys high school located in the Bronx, New York City, with an enrollment of approximately 950 students. It is located on the Rose Hill campus of Fordham University....
, McQuaid Jesuit
McQuaid Jesuit High School
McQuaid Jesuit High School is an all-male, Jesuit college preparatory high school located in Rochester, New York, USA. Named after Bernard J. McQuaid, the first bishop of the Rochester diocese, McQuaid is located at 1800 Clinton Avenue South, in the suburb of Brighton.McQuaid was founded in 1954 in...
and Regis
Regis High School (New York City)
Regis High School is a private Jesuit university-preparatory school for academically gifted Roman Catholic young men located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Annual class enrollment is limited to approximately 135 male students from the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut tri-state area...
, and the Society of Mary (Marianists)
Society of Mary (Marianists)
The Society of Mary, a Roman Catholic Marian Society, is a congregation of brothers and priests called The Marianists or Marianist Brothers and Priests. The Society was founded by Blessed William Joseph Chaminade, a priest who survived the anti-clerical persecution during the French Revolution. ...
, such as Chaminade
Chaminade High School
Chaminade High School is a Roman Catholic college preparatory high school for young men. Located in Mineola, New York, the school was founded in 1930 by the Society of Mary , an international Roman Catholic teaching order of priests and religious Brothers. The school is named for Father William...
and Kellenberg
Kellenberg Memorial High School
Kellenberg Memorial High School is a Roman Catholic college-preparatory school in Uniondale, Long Island, New York. Kellenberg is the second Marianist school on Long Island and prides itself on high academic standards combined with a strong focus on faith....
, have not used Regents exams for decades. Additionally, some other schools like The Masters School
The Masters School
The Masters School, known as "Masters", is a private, coeducational boarding school and day college preparatory school located in Dobbs Ferry, New York. Its campus is located near Manhattan in the Hudson Valley in Westchester County...
, The Ursuline School
The Ursuline School
The Ursuline School is an all-girls, independent, private, Roman Catholic middle and high school located on a campus in New Rochelle, New York in Westchester County. The school was founded in 1897 by the Order of St...
, The Hackley School
Hackley School
Hackley School is a private college preparatory school located in Tarrytown, New York and is a member of the Ivy Preparatory School League. Founded in 1899 by wealthy philanthropist Mrs. Caleb Brewster Hackley, Hackley was intended to be a Unitarian alternative to the mostly Episcopal boarding...
, The Harvey School
The Harvey School
The Harvey School is a co-educational, college preparatory school near Katonah, New York, for students in grades 6 through 12. It is located on a wooded, 100-acre campus and has an annual budget of $10.9M. AP courses in biology, American history, calculus, chemistry, computer science, English,...
, Long Island Lutheran Middle & High School
Long Island Lutheran Middle and High School
Long Island Lutheran Middle and High School is a Lutheran college prep school in Brookville, New York. Built on a 32-acre estate, Lutheran Middle & High School has been serving the educational needs of the community since 1960...
, and Nichols School
Nichols School
Nichols School is a private, non-denominational, co-educational college-preparatory day school located in Buffalo, New York, USA. The average enrollment is 570 students with an average Upper School grade/class size of 98 students...
not associated with those groups do not use the Regents system. Private schools that do not participate in the Regents system set academic assessments and graduation requirements that exceed those of their Regents peers.
Additionally, in some schools, individual students whose native language is not English can sometimes be exempted from taking the Regents Examination in Languages other than English (RE-LOE) if they complete a sequence in Art/Music, Business, and Technology (usually composed of five credits).
Successfully completed Advanced Placement exams
Advanced Placement Exams
Advanced Placement examinations are taken each May by students at participating American, Canadian, and international educational institutions. The tests are the culmination of year-long Advanced Placement courses. All but one of the AP exams combine multiple-choice questions with a...
are another example through which a student may become exempt of the Regents examination for that subject (e.g., AP American History in place of the U.S. History and Government Regents).
Regents Competency Test (RCT)
Regents Competency High School tests, or simply The RCT's, are exit exams given to identified special educationSpecial education
Special education is the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the students' individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials,...
students with Individualized Education Program
Individualized Education Program
In the United States an Individualized Education Program, commonly referred to as an IEP, is mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act...
s or students with a 504 plan seeking a high school diploma
High school diploma
A high school diploma is a diploma awarded for the completion of high school. In the United States and Canada, it is considered the minimum education required for government jobs and higher education. An equivalent is the GED.-Past diploma styles:...
but cannot pass the standard Regents exams. This is given through the New York State Education Department
New York State Education Department
The New York State Education Department is the state education department in New York. It is part of the University of the State of New York , one of the most complete, interconnected systems of educational services in the United States...
, designed and administered under the authority of the Board of Regents
Board of Regents
In the United States, a board often governs public institutions of higher education, which include both state universities and community colleges. In each US state, such boards may govern either the state university system, individual colleges and universities, or both. In general they operate as...
of the University of the State of New York
University of the State of New York
The University of the State of New York is the State of New York's governmental umbrella organization responsible for most institutions and people in any way connected with formal educational functions, public and private, in New York State...
.
The RCT's can be taken before a student fails the corresponding Regents exam if this will help them be less stress
Stress (medicine)
Stress is a term in psychology and biology, borrowed from physics and engineering and first used in the biological context in the 1930s, which has in more recent decades become commonly used in popular parlance...
ed when taking the Regents, so they know that graduation does not hinge on a Regents exam. However there are some RCT exams that must be taken after a student fails the corresponding Regents exam. The RCT's are available for students until they graduate or when they turn 21. If they still cannot pass all of the RCT exams, an IEP diploma is awarded instead. An IEP diploma is not the equivalent to a high school diploma. This is a certificate given to students who complete the twelfth grade
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
but do not pass required testing. It is sometimes referred to as a certificate of attendance
Certificate of attendance
In the United States and Canada, a certificate of attendance is a certificate given to students who complete the K-12 program but do not meet the requirements for the high school diploma or the modified diploma....
. This diploma can be given to special education and general education students.
- Ninth grade
- Students take the Math and Science RCT in June. This is done in case the students fail the Math and Living Environment Regents or Earth Science Regents which can be taken in 9th or 10th grade. Some students, however, can take Regents in 8th grade.
- Tenth grade
- Students take the Math and the Living Environment Regents or the Earth Science Regents in June. Students will also take the Global Regents as well. Students can take the Global RCT if they failed the Global Regents.
- Eleventh grade
- Students take the Reading RCT in January. In June, students take the English and U.S. History Regents. Students can take the U.S. History RCT if they failed the U.S. History Regents.
- Twelfth grade
- Students take the Writing RCT in January if they have failed the English Regents.
There are 6 RCT's that are administered. They can be taken in January, June and August. The Global and U.S. History Regents are the only exception that does not allow students to take the RCT tests before students fail the corresponding Regents exam.
List of exams
The following New York State Regents Exams are administered:- Mathematics
-
- Integrated Algebra I
- Geometry
- Algebra II and Trigonometry
-
- Science
- Earth Science/The Physical Setting
- Biology/The Living Environment
- Chemistry/The Physical Setting
- Physics/The Physical Setting
- Social Studies
- Global History and Geography
- United States History and Government
- English Language Arts
- Comprehensive English
Regular Regents
| Subject | Regents Credits | Required Exam(s) | Grade in which exams are usually taken (may vary, particularly in accelerated programs; most are normally taken in June, unless otherwise noted) |
|---|---|---|---|
| English English studies English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,... |
4 | English Language Arts | Grade 11 Eleventh grade Eleventh Grade is the eleventh, and for some countries final, grade of secondary schools. Students are typically 16 or 17 years of age, depending on the country and the students' birthdays.-Brazil:... |
| Social Studies Social studies Social studies is the "integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence," as defined by the American National Council for the Social Studies... |
4 |
|
Tenth grade In majority of the world,Tenth grade is the tenth year of school post-kindergarten. The variants of "10th grade" in various nations is described below.-Australia:... |
| Mathematics | 3 | Math A Mathematics education in New York New York State Math education in regards to both content and teaching method can vary depending on the type of school a person attends. Private school math education varies from school to school whereas New York has State wide public school requirements where standardized tests are used to... /Integrated Algebra I |
Ninth grade Ninth grade is the ninth post-kindergarten year of school education in some school systems. The students are 13 to 15 years of age, depending on when their birthday occurs. Depending on the school district, ninth grade is usually the first year of high school.... (if in an accelerated/honors course or block Scheduling Block scheduling Block scheduling is a type of academic scheduling in which each student has fewer classes per day but each class is scheduled for a longer period of time . A student might be taking 7 different classes, but only 4 per day, and the specific daily classes would rotate through a changing daily cycle... ) |
| Science Science Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe... |
3 | Living Environment Biology Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines... or Earth Science Earth science Earth science is an all-embracing term for the sciences related to the planet Earth. It is arguably a special case in planetary science, the Earth being the only known life-bearing planet. There are both reductionist and holistic approaches to Earth sciences... are usually completed to meet the requirement |
Grade 8/9 or upon completion of coursework |
| Foreign Language Foreign language A foreign language is a language indigenous to another country. It is also a language not spoken in the native country of the person referred to, i.e. an English speaker living in Japan can say that Japanese is a foreign language to him or her... |
0 | Discontinued by the Board as of July 2011. | |
| Art Art Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect.... , Music Music Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture... (combined) |
1 | ||
| Health Health Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain... |
1/2 | The exam is a local exam. | Grade 10 - Some schools throughout the state only allow students to take health in grade 11 and 12. |
| Physical Education Physical education Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting.... |
2 | ||
| Electives | 3½ | All finals are local | Grades 9-12 |
| Required Exams | Minimum Regents Diploma Grades for Graduation |
|---|---|
| English Regents | 65 |
| Math A Regents | 65 |
| Global History Regents | 65 |
| U.S History Regents | 65 |
| One Science Regents | 65 |
For students entering in 9th grade in 2008 and beyond, local diplomas will no longer be available, so all students must get a 65 or above on all required Regents exams.
Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation
| Subject | Regents credits | Required Exam(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 4 | English Language Arts | Grade 11 |
| Social Studies | 4 |
|
|
| Mathematics | 3 |
(As of 2010, Algebra II/ Trigonometry) |
|
| Science | 2 as of 2010 |
Earth science Earth science is an all-embracing term for the sciences related to the planet Earth. It is arguably a special case in planetary science, the Earth being the only known life-bearing planet. There are both reductionist and holistic approaches to Earth sciences... or Chemistry Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds.... or Physics Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic... (Students must take Living Environment course, then one of three other courses of their choice.) |
Grade in which they take the course. (i.e. Living Environment, Grade 9 ;Earth Science Grade 10 ; Chemistry Grade 10 or Grade 11; Physics Grade 11 or 12) (In some cases students take Earth Science in 8th grade, Living Environment in Grade 8/Grade 9, Chemistry in Grade 10, and Physics in Grade 11) (Some school districts may decide to "skip" Earth Science) |
| Art & Music (combined) | 1 | ||
| Health | .5 | The exam is a local exam. | Grade 10 |
| Physical Education | 2 | 11th and 12th graders who are involved in sports may be exempt from the course during the quarter in which they are playing the sport. The sport they play will count as a credit. | |
| Electives | 1.5 | All exams are local. | Grades 9–12. |
Minimum grade required for a regents w/ advanced designation to graduate: Same grades as required for a Regent's Diploma.
Promotion
Guidelines for grade level classification are based on this table.8 credits 10th grade standing
8 credits 11th grade standing
8 credits 12th grade standing
__ __
24 credits Total
External links
- NYSED (New York State Education Department) Regents Exams
- NYS Regents Exams: New York State Library
- Oswego City School District Regents Exam Prep Center
- NYS Earth Science Regents Review
- NYS Chemistry Regents Review
- NYS Living Environment Regents Review
- New York Science Teacher: New York State (NYS) Regents Preparation
- The Jefferson Math Project
- Regents Review Live!, produced by The New York Network, a Service of the State University of New York, in collaboration with the Teacher Resource and Computer Training Centers of New York State
- Regents Review LLC, a teacher-owned-and-operated company, has been helping students prepare for New York State Regents Examinations for over 35 years