The New York State Education Department (SED) plans to remove Regents exams as a high school graduation requirement, replacing them with the ‘Portrait of a Graduate’ metric. An emphasis on equity will take the place of traditional learning benchmarks.
The New York State Blue Ribbon Commission on Graduation Measures “designed (a plan) to bring greater equity to the State’s education system” says Commissioner Betty A. Rosa.
The Commission proposed a “shared commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion with a foundation rooted strongly in the Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework.”
SED appointed all of the 64-member Blue Ribbon Commission claiming that it “includes members who reflect the diversity of our state.” In reality, half of the members are employed by the school districts or SED. A deeper dive shows only 4 math experts and seven English experts, but at least 12 experts in DEI ideology.
Where three diploma paths exist now, the state education department wants to have just one basic diploma.
Rather than testing for the three "R's" of Reading, ‘Riting’, and ‘Rithmatic’, as well as history and science, New York is setting to add other measures for students.
The proposed “Portrait of a Graduate” metric replaces tests on core educational subjects with soft measurements for students such as “cultural competence, social-emotional competence, effective communicators and global citizen.”
Only one of the seven ‘Portrait” competencies involves being “literate across content areas” such as reading, math, science, and history.
Superintendent of Center Moriches schools, Dr. Ron Masera, said the plan is “conceptual at this point and nothing will be finalized until November”. He emphasized that there is plenty of opportunity for parents and stakeholders to weigh in.
Masera said the proposal includes “alternatives to Regents exams for students to demonstrate proficiency with their coursework.” And that, “the ‘Portrait of a Student’ offers a wider view of what academic success can mean across the whole student body”.
Offering just one, easier-to-get, generic high school diploma in New York achieves the goal of raising the graduation rate without any change in student achievement. It is akin to when crime-ridden cities claim crime is down by not reporting their crime statistics.
Moms for Liberty said on X, “New York State is poised to toss aside its proud history of expecting achievement from its high school students by eliminating the standardized exams that, for more than a century, have been required to earn a Regents diploma.”
This proposal is widely seen as evidence of the ‘soft bigotry of low expectations’ so often imposed on minority students. Instead of encouraging students to acquire the essential knowledge for their future, New York seems to be aiming to lower the standards - even ‘dumbing the system down’ according to some parents.
Rob Schimenz says on X, "New York teenagers will no longer need to pass Regents exams to receive their high school diploma. Dumbing kids down. If they can't think for themselves, we'll think for them. Elitism at its worst.”
Currently, three types of diplomas are given in NYS. Regents - students must obtain 65% on 5 exams. Regents with Advanced Designation - Students get 65% or above on 9 exams. And Local - students reach 55% on 5 exams. It is not clear why this system needs to be replaced. It already offers different avenues to graduation for students with varying abilities.
There are ten Regents exams: English Language Arts, Algebra 1 & 2, Geometry, Global History & Geography, US History & Government, Earth Science, Living Environment (Bio), Chemistry, and Physics
The proposal will be open to public input from July to October. The Board of Regents is expected to vote in November.