Reshaping the future of learning

State education officials could potentially do away with the Regents exam, as part of its vision to provide multiple pathways to a high school diploma.

The changes, if implemented, could alter the existing graduation requirements for public schools across the state — including in Rockville Centre, where alternative pathways such as Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate diplomas are already offered.

Students in the state currently can earn one of three types of diplomas — local, Regents or Regents with advanced designation. The system requires that students meet both the credit and standardized assessment requirements. Credits are earned primarily by completing specific units of study and required assessments or exams.

The New York State Education Department presented its proposal to the Board of Regents on June 10, with the goal of ensuring that all public school students receive the educational opportunities and supports needed to succeed in school and beyond.

The proposed changes would introduce a single diploma for all students. It can be earned by demonstrating proficiency in a variety of ways, including personalized methods tailored to individual strengths and learning styles.

The advanced designation would be replaced by a seal or endorsement that recognizes a student’s specific skills and achievements. Districts would also have the flexibility to add additional seals or endorsements.

“True equity and excellence in education are achievable, but only if we provide all students with meaningful educational opportunities and multiple avenues for them to demonstrate their mastery of the state’s rigorous learning standards,” Lester W. Young Jr., chancellor of the Board of Regents, said in a statement. “Our job is to prepare students for a lifetime of continuous learning, fulfilling careers, and informed civic engagement.”

Rockville Centre schools Superintendent Matthew Gaven said that right now, the district’s plans are in the “wait and see phase,” as the state has not yet fully fleshed out how they want public schools to implement these changes.

“Those decisions are coming in the future,” Gaven said. “One thing we can say is that our high school students are very well prepared for life after college. Over the past few years, we have increased the choices students can make when selecting courses and offered our parents more opportunities to communicate with their child’s teachers and guidance counselors to ensure those choices are informed. We are extremely proud of the wide variety of course offerings we provide for our high school and middle school students. Our IB and AP courses offer a rigorous Capstone for our students during their second half of high school.”

Based on the state education department’s vision, the plan would assess students on various essential skills including critical thinking, problem solving, literacy across disciplines, cultural and social-emotional competence, effective communication, and global citizenship.

It would also look to reform the credit system, allowing students to earn credits outside of the classroom through work- or service-based experiences, programs that allow students to earn college credit or an associates degree while still in high school, state credentials, participation in the arts, or career and technical education programs, according to the Education Department.

The third component would eliminate the Regents exam as a mandatory graduation requirement, while still keeping it available as an option to evaluate students. State assessments would still be administered to comply with the requirements of the federal “Every Student Succeeds Act,” a law that aims to ensure educational equity, which was approved in New York in 2018.

Many educators and advocates for the change seem hopeful, since studies have indicated there is no evidence such exit exams increase academic achievement or impact the value of a high school diploma. Instead, it will allow for multiple measures to be used to assess student’s academic knowledge while maintaining rigor.

For the time being, Rockville Centre school officials will continue to monitor the progress of the state education department’s decision and its efforts to switch to a one-diploma system.

“The Board of Education is going to support Mr. Gaven’s pragmatic approach to wait and see how NYSED decides to implement the proposed changes,” Kelly Barry, president of the Rockville Centre Board of Education, said in a statement. “We are confident that the hard work of our teachers and administrators prepare our students well for life after high school.”

Starting in July, the Education Department and members of a Blue-Ribbon Commission will begin gathering feedback on the plan. The process will continue until October, and focus on potential budget considerations as well.