Skip to main content

Meeting of the Board of Regents | April 2003

Tuesday, April 1, 2003 - 7:30am

 

THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

TO:

The Honorable the Members of the Board of Regents

FROM:

James A. Kadamus

COMMITTEE:

Elementary, Middle, Secondary and Continuing Education

TITLE OF ITEM:

Policy Review of Passing Grade on Regents Examinations

DATE OF SUBMISSION:

April 15, 2003

PROPOSED HANDLING:

Discussion

RATIONALE FOR ITEM:

Policy Review on Passing Grade on Regents Examinations

STRATEGIC GOAL:

Strategic Goals 1 and 2

AUTHORIZATION(S):

SUMMARY:

Your 24-month calendar of policy decisions and reviews includes a policy review of the passing grade on Regents examinations. We have scheduled a series of discussions on student performance data and what we have learned. The Board is scheduled in November 2003 to make a decision on whether to continue or change the phase-in for the 65 passing score.

In April 1996, when the Board of Regents adopted a policy to eliminate the Regents Competency Tests, it put in place a phase-in period. The purpose was to provide time for the educational system to adjust to the expectation that all students would receive instruction based on the new learning standards and that all students would be prepared to take and pass Regents examinations in five subjects. The phase-in period provided a low-pass option in English and social studies for classes that entered grade 9 before September 2000 and a low-pass option in math and science for classes that entered before September 2001. The low-pass score was allowed for a local diploma only. Regents diplomas require a score of at least 65 on all Regents examinations.

The attached data provide a concise, yet comprehensive, look at graduation rates and the results of student performance on the Regents examinations over time and for the 1998 cohort. The 1998 cohort of students was required to take the Regents examinations in English, Mathematics, Global History and Geography and United States History and Government. The 1999 cohort of students must also take either the Living Environment or Earth Science Regents examination. The data show what percentage of students has successfully scored 65 and what percentage of students has not. The following data is provided:

 

  • Graph 1 Number of high school graduates since higher standards were adopted in 1996

  • Graph 2 1998 cohort graduation rate in 2002

  • Graph 3 Regents English 1996�1998 cohort performance

  • Graph 4 Regents Mathematics 1996�1998 cohort performance

  • Table 1 Performance of general education students in 1998 cohort on each examination

  • Table 2 Performance of students with disabilities in 1998 cohort on Regents examinations

  • Table 3 Performance of limited English proficient/English language learners (LEP/ELLs) in 1998 cohort on English Regents examination

  • Table 4 Performance of general education students in 1998 cohort in New York City on each examination

  • Table 5 Performance of general education students in 1998 cohort in large cities on each examination

  • Table 6 Performance of general education students in 1998 cohort in urban-suburban schools on each examination

  • Table 7 Performance of general education students in 1998 cohort in rural schools on each examination

  • Table 8 Performance of general education students in 1998 cohort in average need schools on each examination

  • Table 9 Performance of general education students in 1998 cohort in low need schools on each examination

We will continue to provide additional data to the Regents in accordance with the following timeline:

  • June 2003 Analysis of the 2002 Regents examination data, including breakdowns by subgroups and data on cumulative number of examinations passed.

  • July 2003 Discussion of any additional data or issues related to the passing score

  • October 2003 Analysis of data available from the administration of the 2003 Regents examinations.

  •  

Attachment

 

Click here to start Presentation


Table of Contents

Graduates (Graph 1)

1998 Cohort Graduation Rate in 2002 (Graph 2)

Regents English (Graph 3)

Regents Mathematics (Graph 4)


Performance of general education students in 1998 cohort on each examination

(Table 1)

Subject

65�100

55�64

 

 

0�54

Not tested

English

79.7%

8.8%

2.6%

8.9%

Mathematics

76.9%

9.1%

6.3%

7.7%

Global History & Geography

77.7%

10.0%

2.3%

10.0%

U.S. History & Government

76.5%

8.5%

2.9%

12.2%

Science

(1999 Cohort)

74.7%

6.9%

5.6%

12.8%

 

Performance of students with disabilities in 1998 cohort on Regents examinations

(Table 2)

Subject

65�100

55�64

 

 

0�54

Not tested

English

38.8%

17.9%

15.4%

27.9%

Mathematics

35.0%

9.4%

24.6%

31.0%

Global History & Geography

40.9%

17.9%

11.3%

29.9%

U.S. History & Government

38.9%

14.0%

13.4%

33.7%

Science

(1999 Cohort)

39.2%

9.9%

11.5%

39.4%

 

Performance of LEP/ELLS in 1998 cohort on English Regents examination

(Table 3)

Subject

65-100

55�64

 

 

0�54

Not tested

English

31.9%

26.1%

20.7%

21.2%

 

Percent of general education students in 1998 cohort in New York City not scoring 65 or above on each examination

(Table 4)

Subject

65-100

55�64

 

 

0�54

Not tested

English

63.5%

15.6%

5.3%

15.6%

Mathematics

59.1%

15.4%

11.4%

14.1%

Global History & Geography

61.5%

17.2%

4.5%

16.8%

U.S. History & Government

60.8%

12.2%

4.8%

22.1%

 

Performance of general education students in 1998 cohort in large cities on each examination

(Table 5)

Subject

65-100

55�64

 

 

0�54

Not tested

English

63.6%

17.7%

5.2%

13.5%

Mathematics

53.3%

19.9%

13.9%

12.9%

Global History & Geography

62.3%

22.8%

4.7%

10.2%

U.S. History & Government

57.9%

19.2%

4.8%

18.1%

 

Performance of general education students in 1998 cohort in urban-suburban schools on each examination

(Table 6)

Subject

65-100

55�64

 

 

0�54

Not tested

English

75.0%

11.8%

3.3%

9.9%

Mathematics

71.1%

11.7%

9.1%

8.1%

Global History & Geography

71.0%

12.7%

3.2%

13.1%

U.S. History & Government

69.6%

10.9%

3.8%

15.8%

 

Percent of general education students in 1998 cohort in rural schools not scoring 65 or above on each examination

(Table 7)

Subject

 

65-100

55�64

 

 

0�54

Not tested

English

84.1%

6.8%

1.1%

8.0%

Mathematics

83.0%

7.4%

4.1%

5.5%

Global History & Geography

81.7%

9.7%

1.3%

7.3%

U.S. History & Government

79.9%

9.6%

2.2%

8.3%

 

Performance of general education students in 1998 cohort in average need schools on each examination

(Table 8)

Subject

65-100

55�64

 

 

0�54

Not tested

English

88.5%

4.8%

1.0%

5.7%

Mathematics

86.7%

5.6%

3.3%

4.4%

Global History & Geography

86.9%

5.5%

1.0%

6.6%

U.S. History & Government

85.0%

6.2%

1.8%

7.0%

 

Performance of general education students in 1998 cohort in low need schools on each examination

(Table 9)

Subject

 

65-100

55�64

 

0�54

 

Not tested

English

95.9%

1.8%

0.3%

1.9%

Mathematics

95.2%

1.9%

1.2%

1.7%

Global History & Geography

93.5%

2.1%

0.5%

3.9%

U.S. History & Government

93.9%

2.5%

0.8%

2.7%