Elimination of Regents tests called unlikely

Mar 9, 2010 — The Buffalo News

Peter Simon

Mar. 9, 2010 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- The wholesale elimination of New York State Regents exams is unlikely, but state education officials are looking for ways to place greater emphasis on strategic tests given throughout the school year and less reliance on year-end exams, a Board of Regents member said Monday.

Robert M. Bennett said a 90- minute discussion during a Regents committee meeting in Albany showed little sentiment for a dramatic reduction in the number of Regents exams.

"There wasn't much support for reducing science or math assessments," Bennett said. "At this time, I don't think so."

No decisions were made, and the testing issue is expected to be discussed several more times in committee prior to any formal vote, Bennett said.

The Regents discussion centered on a contingency plan from state Education Department officials that would eliminate all Regents exams in foreign languages, three of four Regents exams in science and two of three in math. Also, Regents exams would no longer be given in global history and geography or U. S. history and government.

Eliminating those exams would raise crucial questions about the all- Regents high school graduation requirements phased in over the last decade, and about how student achievement would be measured.

Maria Neira, vice president of New York State United Teachers, said teachers were "extremely upset" that they were not informed of the contingency plan earlier, and she urged that parents, students and teachers be included in further discussions.

"The partners absolutely need to be part of this conversation," she said. "These decisions cannot be made in a vacuum."

Neira, who attended the committee meeting, agreed with Bennett's assessment that no action is imminent.

"I think it's something on their radar screen," she said. "I believe everything's on the table. But I don't get the impression that they were ready to say, 'This is it.' "

The plan is partly "an attention- getting proposal" by the Regents, who are lobbying for greater funding for the state Education Department, Neira said.

Bennett said the contingency plan was prepared as part of a larger discussion of state education policy and direction, especially in light of a proposed 7 percent budget cut for the state Education Department.

The department projects a shortfall of $11.5 million for the next school year, and $21.3 million in 2011-12. In the last six years, the cost of assessing student performance rose to $45.9 million, from $7.6 million.

A central theme of Monday's discussion was that the testing issue must be closely coordinated with curriculum, teacher training, early childhood instruction, college and work readiness, and other issues, Bennett added.

"We just can't talk about them in isolation," he said. "That's what really resonated."

The proposal also says the department could save $1.9 million by eliminating January's and August's Regents exams, and giving the tests only in June.

"We want to know, by district, how many students are taking the January and August exams," Bennett said. "We just don't have that information."

Opposition to reducing the number of Regents exams is a bit ironic in light of widespread sentiment that recent school reform measures have overemphasized testing, Bennett said.

"The normal comment is that we have too many tests," he said. "Now I'm hearing we have too few."

psimon@buffnews.com

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