By Asmita Saha
As COVID-19 related issues persist, standardized testing continues. At NHP, students wonder how Regents exams will carry on and if it is even necessary to take the exams.
Only the English, Algebra 1, Earth Science, and Living Environment Regents exams are being administered this year. The 2020-2021 school year is the second year in a row where passing five Regents exams is not a prerequisite for graduation; students only need to pass the class.
This change came after a blanket waiver was denied by the federal government to cancel all standardized exams, including Regents and state examinations. ELA and Math state tests are still scheduled to be administered for grades three through eight. Similarly, for grades four and eight, the science state test will be condensed to include only the written section but will still be administered along with the other state tests.
Source by Sydney Hargrove
Due to the ongoing pandemic, many Regents exams have been cancelled and are no longer required for students to graduate.
“The change in Regents exams does not create a change in the graduation requirements for students. If an exam is not offered, the student will be exempt from that exam and it will not affect their graduation,” said principal Dr. Faccio.
Since the waiver was denied, the New York Department of Education determined that students can also choose not to take Regents exams. This is similar to the opt-out option for state tests offered for grades three through eight.
“I’m not a hundred percent sure if I am going to take the Regents. These tests are very significant and important because it adds a lot to college resumes and things, but I do not think it’s necessary if a kid does well in a class,” said eighth grader Alice Park.
As for college admissions and requirements, colleges in New York state such as Binghamton and Stony Brook announced that they would also be test blind and not weigh Regents examinations heavily. Admissions counselors say they are looking more at GPA, the rigor of classes, and submitted supplements in order to determine a student’s acceptance.