Meeting of the Board of Regents | April 2003
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THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234 |
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TO: |
The Honorable the Members of the Board of Regents |
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FROM: |
James A. Kadamus |
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COMMITTEE: |
Elementary, Middle, Secondary and Continuing Education |
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TITLE OF ITEM: |
Policy Review of Passing Grade on Regents Examinations |
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DATE OF SUBMISSION: |
April 15, 2003 |
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PROPOSED HANDLING: |
Discussion |
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RATIONALE FOR ITEM: |
Policy Review on Passing Grade on Regents Examinations |
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STRATEGIC GOAL: |
Strategic Goals 1 and 2 |
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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:
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Graph 1 Number of high school graduates since higher standards were adopted in 1996
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Graph 2 1998 cohort graduation rate in 2002
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Graph 3 Regents English 1996�1998 cohort performance
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Graph 4 Regents Mathematics 1996�1998 cohort performance
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Table 1 Performance of general education students in 1998 cohort on each examination
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Table 2 Performance of students with disabilities in 1998 cohort on Regents examinations
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Table 3 Performance of limited English proficient/English language learners (LEP/ELLs) in 1998 cohort on English Regents examination
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Table 4 Performance of general education students in 1998 cohort in New York City on each examination
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Table 5 Performance of general education students in 1998 cohort in large cities on each examination
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Table 6 Performance of general education students in 1998 cohort in urban-suburban schools on each examination
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Table 7 Performance of general education students in 1998 cohort in rural schools on each examination
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Table 8 Performance of general education students in 1998 cohort in average need schools on each examination
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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:
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June 2003 Analysis of the 2002 Regents examination data, including breakdowns by subgroups and data on cumulative number of examinations passed.
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July 2003 Discussion of any additional data or issues related to the passing score
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October 2003 Analysis of data available from the administration of the 2003 Regents examinations.
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Attachment
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Table of Contents
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Performance of general education students in 1998 cohort on each examination
(Table 1)
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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% |
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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 |
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English |
38.8% |
17.9% |
15.4% |
27.9% |
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Mathematics |
35.0% |
9.4% |
24.6% |
31.0% |
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Global History & Geography |
40.9% |
17.9% |
11.3% |
29.9% |
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U.S. History & Government |
38.9% |
14.0% |
13.4% |
33.7% |
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Science (1999 Cohort) |
39.2% |
9.9% |
11.5% |
39.4% |
Performance of LEP/ELLS in 1998 cohort on English Regents examination
(Table 3)
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Subject |
65-100 |
55�64
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0�54 |
Not tested |
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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
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0�54 |
Not tested |
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English |
63.5% |
15.6% |
5.3% |
15.6% |
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Mathematics |
59.1% |
15.4% |
11.4% |
14.1% |
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Global History & Geography |
61.5% |
17.2% |
4.5% |
16.8% |
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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 |
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English |
63.6% |
17.7% |
5.2% |
13.5% |
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Mathematics |
53.3% |
19.9% |
13.9% |
12.9% |
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Global History & Geography |
62.3% |
22.8% |
4.7% |
10.2% |
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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
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0�54 |
Not tested |
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English |
75.0% |
11.8% |
3.3% |
9.9% |
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Mathematics |
71.1% |
11.7% |
9.1% |
8.1% |
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Global History & Geography |
71.0% |
12.7% |
3.2% |
13.1% |
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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
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0�54 |
Not tested |
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English |
84.1% |
6.8% |
1.1% |
8.0% |
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Mathematics |
83.0% |
7.4% |
4.1% |
5.5% |
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Global History & Geography |
81.7% |
9.7% |
1.3% |
7.3% |
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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)
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Subject |
65-100 |
55�64
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0�54 |
Not tested |
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English |
88.5% |
4.8% |
1.0% |
5.7% |
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Mathematics |
86.7% |
5.6% |
3.3% |
4.4% |
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Global History & Geography |
86.9% |
5.5% |
1.0% |
6.6% |
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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)
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Subject |
65-100 |
55�64 |
0�54 |
Not tested |
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English |
95.9% |
1.8% |
0.3% |
1.9% |
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Mathematics |
95.2% |
1.9% |
1.2% |
1.7% |
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Global History & Geography |
93.5% |
2.1% |
0.5% |
3.9% |
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U.S. History & Government |
93.9% |
2.5% |
0.8% |
2.7% |