Regents Exam Standards Lowered

High schools around Buffalo are facing discrepancies over what constitutes a passing grade for Regents tests, causing students, parents and teachers to question an already shaky system. While some schools require that students correctly answer 65 percent of questions in order to pass, other schools will accept grades as little as 55 percent. To enforce the concept of objective testing, uniformity must be established between exams.

The differences in scores began as a response to new tests, which were touted as being more difficult, with a stronger emphasis on comprehension and critical thinking.

In response to the resulting increased failure rate, however, the Board of Regents approved a lower passing grade, with the decision left up to the school districts of whether to accept it. There are many problems with the system, including the uneven scale and the ridiculous idea that someone with a 55 can be considered "passing."

The standards are dangerous for a few reasons. First of all, a reliance on testing forces teachers to teach toward a test and students to learn for a test. Even though the new tests, especially in English, are supposed to foster critical thinking, students are being shown that they only need to pass a test, and can barely pass it at that. The system simply reinforces itself and can only be broken with actual effort by both students and teachers.

Tests are in place to determine if students have adequately learned the material, and can apply what they have learned to other situations. Ideally all students would learn for the purpose of becoming educated, and teachers must show students why that search for knowledge is necessary, and how best to achieve it.

When students are allowed to get such low grades and still be able to pass, it reinforces two negative notions. First of all, students may see that they only need a low grade, and be less inclined to study or learn the material. On the other side, standards cannot be so high that students are pressured, but some balance must be found so that students are encouraged to learn for themselves. Secondly, the discrepancies between the schools will reinforce notions that students can take less initiative depending on where they live, which hurts people on both sides.

The system now in place does not promote learning in the way that would be most beneficial to the students. Schools are allowing students to get away with failing grades, and there is no accountability, as failure has become acceptable. Teachers are facing the new tests, and rather than possessing a forceful plan for guiding the students towards an education, are only creating a system where students can do worse.

A changed test must go along with a changed teaching environment, and if the two work in synergy to create smarter students, the results need to be regulated similarly across the board. The schools that have chosen to lower the acceptable scores to 55 are not doing anyone a service, and are insulting their students and teachers by demanding less of them.

If the school system wants to use Regent's tests to foster education, it needs to take those steps in every arena. Getting students on path for a full education is difficult, but schools must show good faith in their students and teachers to want to learn and see tests as an opportunity to shine and not a punishment. If tests must be used as the major guideline, they need to be graded on the same scale and have a baseline that makes sure that a passing grade equates with knowledge.