Although the end of the semester brings excitement, in New York State it also brings dread and anxiety for those enrolled in Regents classes. 20% of the students’ grades balances on their performance within those three hours, giving students the chance to dramatically raise, or drop, their average.
However, speculation about the future of these exams has risen in recent years. Some teachers and students rejoice with the announcement of Regents exams might become optional, and different paths for graduation made available.
According to the New York Post, the state now aims to measure students’ ability to graduate by new criteria, as successful “critical thinkers, innovative problem solvers, literate across all content areas, culturally competent, socially-emotionally competent, effective communicators, and global citizens.” This offers a more holistic view of graduation, taking into account traumatic life experiences or disturbances that would disrupt the traditional route of graduating.
The majority of students find comfort in the newly proposed regulations, as it leaves more room for personal preference, while still offering the opportunity to be challenged academically.
Lynn Mizgala, a senior at New Hartford Senior High School, rejoices at the idea of Regents being optional, although it is set to be enacted after her graduation.
“I feel like a regular final would have the same impact,” Lynn states. “I feel like it’s not really accurate either, as its a long test and a lot of pressure, it’s kind of outdated.”
Julia Albano, also a senior at New Hartford, shares the same sentiment, agreeing that there’s a lot of pressure regarding the three hour long tests.
“They stress people out way too much for no reason,” Julia states. She also expresses that if given the option, she would opt for a local final exam as opposed to a Regents.
