Students speak out about state possibly dropping Regents requirements

Could Regents tests become a thing of the past for students in New York?

These exams have been a staple in New York education for more than a century but a new proposal would sunset the Regents Diploma in an effort to make graduating high school more accessible.

The State Education Department is considering a proposal that would create a "portrait of a graduate" system. Students would be able to prove they're proficient in different subjects through a variety of ways.

Dropping the Regents requirement would better align New York with a majority of other states. New York is one of only nine that still require graduation exams.

7 News anchor Lia Lando spoke with students and educators about the potential changes.

Layla Lewis is a Senior at Hamburg High School. She has already taken all her required Regents exams but says she's not a huge fan of standardized testing. "I am not a good test taker. I think your grades throughout the school year are a better reflection than one test." Layla believes eliminating the requirement for Regents tests is a good place to start, "It would be easier for other people to graduate if it wasn't required."

Kay Anderson says while she did well on her Regents exams, she doesn't believe that's what got her into college. Kay says, "I think what got me into college was my extracurricular and what I'm involved in because I'm in a bunch of clubs and I'm very involved. So, I think that's what got me into college and less of my test grades."

Lauren Gill is the Director of Admissions at Hilbert College. She says they don't require SAT tests and are not against eliminating regents requirements because "We traditionally don't believe that one student's success in college can be determined off of one singular test." She says they accept students from other States and Countries and, "Other States other than New York do not require regents exam scores so it would just be as if we were admitting someone from another State."

Michael Cornell , Superintendent of the Hamburg School District says if the proposal is accepted, Regents exams will not go away but rather become one of a few assessment options and there would be just one diploma with, "a series of seals and endorsements attached to that diploma so that colleges and the military and the workforce will know exactly what competencies and skills that young person has accumulated." Cornell says he applauds the State Education Department for considering this change because "It seems to me an acknowledgment that the world is changing, how kids are being modernized and socialized in the world is changing. It's a recognition that as an institution we need to adapt along with it."

It was at a Board of Regents meeting on Monday that the education department's proposed vision for implementing the new graduation measures was laid out. NYSED says this proposal calls for transformative actions in four areas:
(The following information on transformative actions comes directly from the New York State Education Department)

1. Adopt the New York State Portrait of a Graduate: The Portrait of a Graduate is intended to create a shared understanding of the skills and knowledge that New York State public school graduates have mastered. To earn a high school diploma, a student will have to demonstrate proficiency in each component of the Portrait, meaning that they must be critical thinkers, innovative problem solvers, literate across all content areas, culturally competent, socially-emotionally competent, effective communicators, and global citizens.
   
2. Redefine Credits: NYSED proposes to redefine credits to focus on proficiency rather than upon the completion of time-based units of study (as is the current practice for most students). The goal is to expand the ways in which students may demonstrate their mastery of the State’s rigorous learning standards and attainment of the various components of the Portrait of a Graduate. Students would be permitted to demonstrate proficiency in a number of different ways, including, for example, through approved work- or service-based learning experiences; dual credit programs such as early college high school; earning a New York State seal or credential; traditional high school courses; approved Career and Technical Education programs; participation in the arts; and passing approved assessments, including Regents exams.
   
3. Sunset Diploma Assessment Requirements: NYSED recommends decoupling specific assessment requirements from graduation requirements. Doing so means that students will no longer need to pass the Regents exams or a +1 Pathway Assessment in order to graduate from high school. Regents Examinations will continue to be available as one of the measures by which students may demonstrate their proficiency in meeting the State’s learning standards. Students will continue to be assessed through multiple measures at the local level to demonstrate their learning. They will still take specific state-level assessments required by federal law to track progress across New York.
   
4. Move to One Diploma: The Department recommends moving to a system with only one diploma available to all New York State public school graduates. Under the Department’s recommendations, districts would be required to confer diplomas to all students who satisfy the State’s requirements. This approach would eliminate the local diploma, the “advanced designation” diploma would become a seal or endorsement, and districts would be authorized to add additional seals and endorsements.

Between July and October, NYSED will have a series of Blue Ribbon Commissioner "Ambassador Forums." These forums will allow the public to share their thoughts.

In November, the education department will present its plan to the Board of Regents with projected timelines, affected regulations, and other considerations. The board will need to approve any changes to the state's graduation requirements. Until then, the existing graduation requirements remain in effect for all public school students in New York.