State Regents revamp

By Jackie Salo, Editor-in-Chief that there is still Regents credit, but

Standardized testing in schools the state will not be administering a
statewide will be facing major changes test," said Latin teacher Kathleen de
as certain foreign language exams are Riesthal.
being eliminated due to budgetary The NYSED is still determining
constraints. In addition to these what type of final exam will be granting
cuts, the English Regents will also be the students the Regents credit,
undergoing format changes. whether it is made for individual
The world language department classes or on a regional level by the
received confirmation in August via teachers.
e-mail that the state will no longer be "I don't mind making an exam. It
administering the Hebrew, Latin, or is a massive undertaking to come up
German Regents. with the reading and writing portions.
According to a memo released June You have to come up with something
22 by the New York State Educational level appropriate," said German
Department (NYSED), these cuts are teacher Dominick Kosciuk.
saving 1.2 million dollars The elimination of these Regents
for the state. does reap some benefits. According to
The Italian de Riesthal, teachers are saving the
Regents was month spent teaching material that is
supposed to be less important but was necessary to
eliminated as prepare their students for what may
well but was show up on the exam. This time can
salvaged by now be spent preparing for the IB
additionally exam.
f u n d s For programs not offered by the
granted by school, such as Hebrew, the Regents
the state. exam was a way to demonstrate
"It is students' comprehension and fluency
important of the language.
to know
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