NYS Asks: Do Regents Exams Make it Too Hard for Kids to Graduate HS
New York State is examining whether the Regents exams - required to earn a high school degree - are too tough an obstacle to graduation.
In New York State, a student is required to pass 4, and often 5, Regents exams in order to graduate. If you've ever had a child who struggles with test taking - you know how stressful and difficult these exams can be. Sometimes, just a few points can make the difference between a student earning a high school degree or not.
Betty Rosa, the Chancellor of the Board of Regents, says it's time to take a look at whether the ability of a child to pass a series of tests should play such a large role in their futures. At a recent board meeting, Rosa asked "When students do receive their diploma, what does it stand for? What kind of preparation is attributed to that diploma," reports WHEC.
Now, Rosa and Mary Ellen Elia, the NYS education commissioner (who is leaving her post at the end of this month) are putting together a panel to study the question.
Across America, graduation requirements vary. 60% of states require no exit exams for graduation. Of the remaining states that do, half require 3 or less tests.
What do you think? Should students have to prove what they've learned by way of Regents exams, or should passing all the required classes be enough to earn a high school diploma?
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