Some New York schools providing alternative to Regents exams

by Dana Damiani

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Students have endless options after they graduate high school but the problem for some is getting there. New York state is reviewing requirements to pass the Regents exams for students to graduate.

One of the other models under consideration is substituting Regents with performance-based assessment tests where students present on one topic of their choice, per subject.

According to the New York State Education Department, Regents exams prevent 13.1% of high school students from graduating on time.

“It can feel like graduation is simply a barrier that’s too high and just failing those exams or really struggling [can] make those kids more likely to drop out go school and simply give up,” said Eamonn Scanlon, education policy director with The Children’s Agenda in Rochester.

New York is one of 11 states to require these forms of exit exams. Not everyone is in favor of these tests, blaming them for pushing students away from the bigger picture.

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