Taking Regents exams can't be the only way to graduate in NYS

It isn’t hard to understand why some believe that standardized tests reliably measure how students are learning, how teachers are instructing, and how schools are performing. On paper, the concept of a baseline standard for comparison makes sense. In practice, however, it is riddled with imperfections that cause far more harm than good.

As it turns out, parents, students, teachers, administrators, community members, and business professionals from across New York State — including on Long Island — agree. Over the past five years, New Yorkers have consistently acknowledged in dozens of Regents forums that the standard of using Regents exams as the sole pathway to graduation needs to change.

Studies have shown that standardized tests, particularly exit exams, are not the panacea we thought they were for measuring or improving student performance. They have not had a significant positive impact on student learning and instead exacerbate poverty and inequality and increase dropout rates for minority and disadvantaged students.

I am passionate about this issue because, for the past 20 years, I have proudly served on the state Board of Regents. I’ve visited the vast majority of school districts on Long Island and met with countless educators at conferences.

Long Island is my home, and I care deeply about its residents and its future. I strongly believe the best investment in Long Island is an investment in its children and their access to quality education. It is our duty as citizens and taxpayers to ensure that our students have every opportunity to achieve the best possible outcomes. The surest path forward is to remove long-standing and harmful barriers to success.

Eliminating Regents exams as a graduation requirement should not be misconstrued to say that public school students will be handed a high school diploma regardless of their academic performance or preparedness. On the contrary, the new system will require students to demonstrate the literacy, critical thinking skills, and civic readiness necessary for whatever route they intend to take next.

How this will be measured is yet to be determined, which is why it is a fool’s errand to assume that the new graduation measures will not properly assess students’ knowledge or will undermine high standards.

Both the state Education Department and Board of Regents believe students must be prepared to enter an ever-evolving workforce. Rather than say, ‘Sorry, kid, you didn’t pass the Regents; good luck out there without a high school diploma,’ educators and administrators can offer a different approach. Under the new system, schools could work with students on a pathway that would allow them to demonstrate mastery of high school coursework while also aligning with their future career interests.

For many, taking and passing the Regents exams will still be the optimal path to graduation. But for those who may have been left behind, a single test will not make or break what lies ahead. It simply doesn’t make sense to leave smart, talented students in the lurch.

To me, the choice is clear. We shouldn’t be gatekeeping a bright future for students who might not test well but are more than capable of maintaining gainful employment. We should instead address graduation requirements head-on while preserving the high learning standards for which we are known.

These new graduation measures will serve all students, not just those who excel at test-taking. Learning, intelligence, and talent are not one size fits all. Why, then, would we expect all students to demonstrate their knowledge and capabilities in the same way?

This guest essay reflects the views of Roger Tilles, Long Island representative for the New York State Board of Regents.