The University of the State of New York
office of state assessment
Albany, New York 12234
Directions for
Administering and Scoring Regents Examinations
January
Administration
All proctors who will be administering
Regents examinations must be given a copy of this booklet several days in
advance of the Regents examination period so they can have sufficient time to
familiarize themselves with its contents.
Additional information concerning New York’s
secondary-level assessment programs can be
found in Regents Examinations, Regents Competency Tests, and Proficiency
Examinations: School Administrator’s Manual. You may access this manual on
the Department’s web site at: http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/hsinfogen/hsinfogenarch/sam2001.pdf.
Included in the shipment of nonsecure materials are four separate publications (Information Booklets) that provide detailed information concerning all the Regents examinations administered in January except the Comprehensive Examinations in French and in Spanish. These booklets address the administration and scoring of Regents examinations in the following content areas: English, Mathematics A and B, the Sciences, Global History and Geography, and United States History and Government. Give copies of the Information Booklets to the proctors and teachers involved in the administration and scoring of these examinations several days in advance of the Regents examination period.
The room in which examinations are administered should be well lit, well ventilated, and quiet. Make preparations before the testing period to keep noise and other distractions to a minimum. Place a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door to prevent interruptions.
If examinations are to be administered in a classroom, the room must be properly prepared. Clear desks and shelves under the desks of all books, papers, and other materials. Completely cover or remove all charts or maps pertinent to the subject being tested and all board work.
Make arrangements in advance to seat the students so that each student will be clearly visible to the proctor at all times and so that there will be the least possible opportunity for any communication between students. Seating of students in alternate rows is recommended.
Inform students before each examination that they are expected to provide their own pens, pencils, erasers, and rulers. Inform them also about the use of calculators and bilingual dictionaries and glossaries. This booklet provides information about the use of such materials.
Your school must provide other materials required by students, such as ruled answer paper, scrap paper, and coordinate graph paper for the mathematics Regents examinations.
Schools must ensure that each student has the appropriate type of calculator specified below when taking a Regents examination in science or mathematics.
When
students enter the testing room, clear or reset the memory of any calculator
with programming capability. Remove any applications that have been added to
graphing calculators. No
students may use calculators that are capable of symbol manipulation or that
can communicate with other calculators through infrared sensors, nor may
students use operating manuals, instruction or formula cards, or other
information concerning the operation of calculators during the examinations.
Science Regents Examinations. For the Living Environment Examination, all students who wish to use a four-function or scientific calculator must have one. All students taking the Physical Setting/Chemistry and Physical Setting/Earth Science Examinations must have a four-function or scientific calculator. Students are not permitted to use graphing calculators when taking the Living Environment, Physical Setting/Chemistry, or Physical Setting/Earth Science Examinations. All students taking the Physical Setting/Physics Examination must have a scientific or graphing calculator.
Mathematics Regents Examinations. All students taking the
Mathematics A Examination must have a scientific calculator. Students taking
this examination may also use graphing calculators without symbol manipulation.
Students taking the Mathematics B Examination must have a graphing calculator
without symbol manipulation.
Principals must ensure that students with
disabilities receive the testing accommodations specified in their
Individualized Educational Program (IEP) or Section 504 Accommodation Plan when
they take State examinations. Under certain circumstances, special
accommodations may be made for general education students taking State
examinations. The School Administrator’s Manual provides the guidelines
to be followed in such circumstances.
Large-Type Examinations. In general, you should
administer large-type examinations according to the same procedures as those
used for regular examinations. Large-type examinations are exact reproductions
(136% enlargements) of the regular examinations. They have the same directions,
questions, etc., as the regular examinations. You may administer them in the
same room, at the same time, and with the same directions as those used for the
regular examinations.
Braille Examinations. The braille examinations
require no special directions to students. The proctor administering a braille
examination does not need to be able to read braille. The examination booklet
provides the student with complete directions and descriptions. The questions
on braille examinations are the same as those on the printed examinations with
certain exceptions, which are described in the following paragraph. The
questions are numbered the same as those on the printed examinations. Braille
editions of the secure answer booklets are provided with the braille
examination booklets for the Regents Examinations in Physical Setting/Chemistry
and Physical Setting/Earth Science. Separate or special answer sheets are not
provided with copies of braille editions of other Regents examinations. The
student may answer the questions in any manner appropriate and familiar to the
student. The student may write, type, or braille the answers, dictate them to a
proctor or a mechanical recording device, or use any combination of these methods.
When the Department transcribes an
examination into braille, questions that contain material that cannot be
reproduced in a manner understandable to a blind student are modified. The
questions are reworded or replaced with questions that measure skills similar
to those measured by the original questions. Unless otherwise noted, the
scoring key provided by the Department can be used for both the printed and
braille editions of the examination.
Reader-Administered Examinations. A proctor should use the
regular examination booklet when reading an examination to a student with a
disability. The principal should provide the proctor with an examination
booklet one hour in advance of the required starting time so that the proctor
can become familiar with the examination questions before reading them to the
student.
In cases where test items are to be read, the
entire test must be read, including reading passages, questions, and
multiple-choice items. The test must be read in a neutral manner, without
intonating, emphasizing, or otherwise drawing attention to key words or
phrases. Passages and items must be read word-for-word, without any
clarification or explanation. (However, such content may be read more than
once.)
Reference Materials for Regents Examinations. Provide for students with
disabilities all information normally provided to students. All reference
materials for Regents examinations—tables, charts, and graphs—are available in
large type and braille. These materials will be supplied with the braille or
the large-type examinations. When reading a test to a student in accordance
with the student’s IEP or Section 504 Accommodation Plan, the proctor may
“read” the required reference information to the student as long as it does not
give the student an unfair advantage. Students may not use English language
dictionaries, either printed or electronic.
Schools may provide the following testing accommodations to LEP
students:
·
Time Extension. Schools may extend the test time for LEP students. Principals may use
any reasonable extensions, such as “time and a half” (the required testing time
plus one-half of that amount of time), in accordance with their best judgment
about the needs of the LEP students. Principals should consult with each
student’s classroom teacher in making these determinations.
·
Separate Location. Schools are encouraged to provide optimum testing environments and
facilities for LEP students. They may administer Regents examinations to LEP
students individually or in small groups in a separate location.
·
Third Reading of Listening Selection. Proctors may read the listening passage
(Part A, Session One) of the Regents Comprehensive Examination in English a
third time to LEP students. This accommodation is not permitted on State
examinations in languages other than English.
·
Bilingual Dictionaries and Glossaries. LEP students may use
bilingual dictionaries and glossaries when taking Regents examinations in all
subjects except languages other than English. The bilingual dictionaries and
glossaries may provide only direct translations of words. Bilingual
dictionaries or glossaries that provide definitions or explanations are not
permitted.
·
Simultaneous Use of English and Alternative Language Editions. For those Regents
examinations for which the Department provides written translations, LEP
students may use both an English and an alternative language edition of the
test simultaneously. However, they should be instructed to record all of their
responses in only one of the two editions. The alternative language edition
used by the student should be so indicated on the student’s answer sheet.
·
Oral Translation for Lower Incidence Languages. Schools may provide LEP
students with an oral translation of a Regents examination when there is no
translated edition provided by the Department. This accommodation is permitted
for State examinations in all subjects except English and languages other than
English. All translations must be oral, direct translations of the English
editions. Written translations are not allowed. No clarifications or
explanations may be provided. Translators should receive copies of the English
edition of the tests one hour prior to administration. The Department’s Office
of Bilingual Education and the Bilingual Education Technical Assistance Centers
(BETACs) can assist schools in locating suitable translators.
·
Writing Responses in the Native Language. LEP students making use of
alternative language editions or of oral translations of Regents examinations
may write their responses to the open-ended questions in their native language.
Scoring the tests is the responsibility of the school. However, the
Department’s Office of Bilingual Education and the BETACs can assist schools in
locating persons who can translate the students’ responses into English to
facilitate scoring of the answer papers.
Schools may use machine-scorable answer
sheets for the objective portions of any Regents examination. Schools must
provide such answer sheets and score them. Because many Regents examinations do
not lend themselves to machine scoring, schools must ensure that students are
not placed at a disadvantage by the use of inappropriate answer sheets.
Answer sheets supplied by the school must
provide the same number of response options as are given in the examination
questions, and the choices must be labeled 1, 2, 3, 4, not A, B, C, D. Schools
must develop local instructions for using the answer sheets and provide them to
the proctors administering the examinations.
If a school uses a machine-scorable answer
sheet for the Comprehensive Examination in English, the school must use a
separate sheet for each of the two sessions of the examination. Students may
not use the same answer sheet for both sessions.
The examination schedules and the examinations themselves indicate the specific hours during which Regents examinations must be administered. January and June examinations are scheduled for 9:15 a.m. or for 1:15 p.m. To allow sufficient time for giving directions and distributing examination materials, instruct students to be in their seats at least 15 minutes before the time specified for starting each examination.
At the discretion of the principal, schools
may begin Regents examinations earlier than the specified time. Regardless of
the starting time, do not permit any student under any circumstances to hand in
his or her test materials and leave the examination room before the Uniform
Statewide Admission Deadline.
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Uniform Statewide
Admission Deadlines |
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Morning Examinations: |
10:00 a.m. |
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Afternoon Examinations: |
2:00 p.m. |
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The school must admit all students who arrive at the examination room before the Uniform Statewide Admission Deadline, even if the students arrive after the starting time scheduled by the school. Students who arrive at the examination after the Uniform Statewide Admission Deadline but who have been under the supervision of school personnel since the admission deadline should be admitted to the examination if the principal is certain that the students did not have an opportunity to exchange information with other students who had already left the examination. Do not admit students who arrive after the deadline and who have not been under the supervision of school personnel since the deadline. The purpose of the Uniform Statewide Admission Deadline is to eliminate any possibility of the exchange of information between students at different examination centers. All school personnel must strictly comply with these regulations.
Latecomers for Regents examinations are not
generally entitled to have the closing time extended. However, if students
started an examination late because of extenuating circumstances beyond their
control, the principal may authorize an extension of the closing time of the
Regents examination for these students. Further, when a Regents examination is
administered under special conditions to a student who is injured or ill or who
has a disability, the principal has the discretion to extend the time in order
to allow the student reasonable time to complete the Regents examination under
the special examination conditions. Please refer to the School
Administrator’s Manual for more specific information about such situations.
A full report about each such authorization should be sent to the Department at
the end of the Regents examination period.
For those Regents examinations that test
listening comprehension, distribute Teacher Dictation Copies to the teachers
who will administer the examinations one hour before the scheduled starting
time. This will give the teachers sufficient time to familiarize themselves
with the materials in the Teacher Dictation Copies before the beginning of the
examinations.
1.
Identification of Students. Schools must verify the identity of each student
who enters the examination room, especially students who are not enrolled in
the school in which they are taking the examinations. Keep accurate records of
the students who take each examination so that it will be possible to confirm
the presence or absence of a student for each examination.
2.
Checking for Unauthorized Materials. Provide close supervision of students who
are taking Regents examinations at all times during the examination session.
Inspect all materials students bring into the examination room as they enter to
make sure that the materials do not contain any unauthorized notes or printed
material that would give the user an unfair advantage. See page 1, “Materials
Provided by Students and the School,” for information concerning the materials
that students may bring into the examination room.
3.
Obtaining Information from or Giving Information to Other Students. Do not permit students to
obtain information from or give information to other students in any way during
the examination. If you suspect that such an attempt has occurred, warn the
students that any further attempts will result in the termination of their
examinations. If necessary, move the students to another location. If these
steps fail to end attempts to obtain or give information, notify the principal
immediately and terminate the students’ examinations. At the conclusion of the
examination, all suspected acts of fraud must be reported to the principal. No
score may be earned by a student who, in the judgment of the principal, has
attempted to obtain aid from or give aid to another student or has otherwise
committed fraud during an examination.
4.
Student Use of Communications Devices. At the beginning of each
Regents examination, proctors must read the following statement to all
students:
You may not use any communications device while
taking a State examination, either in the room where the test is being
administered or while on a supervised break (such as a bathroom visit). Such
devices include, but are not limited to, CD and cassette players, radios,
cellular telephones, pagers, MP3 players, Personal Digital Assistants, video
devices, and associated headphones, headsets, microphones, or earplugs.
If your cell phone rings, you may not answer
it. If your pager beeps or vibrates,
you may not look at it. You must therefore turn these and other such devices
OFF right now and secure them underneath your desk [or in the location
specified by the principal], OFF and away from your desktop. Your examination
will be invalidated and no score will be calculated for you if you use any such
device or related communications technology or if you wear headphones while in
the testing room.
For Principals and Proctors:
a.
Any
student observed to be using any communications device while taking a State
examination must be directed to turn the device off and put it away
immediately. In order to allow for all possible outcomes of procedural due
process, the student should be allowed to complete the examination. The
incident must be reported promptly to the school principal. If the principal
determines that the student was using a communications device during the test
administration, the student’s test must be invalidated; no score may be
calculated for that student.
b.
The
incident must be reported in writing to the Office of State Assessment, as is
the case for all testing irregularities, misadministration, or other violations
of State testing policies and procedures.
Note: Some students with disabilities may use certain recording/playback devices ONLY IF this accommodation is specifically required as a provision of the student’s IEP or Section 504 Accommodation Plan. If not, the general policy on communications devices as provided above is in effect, and the school may not allow the use of any such equipment.
5.
Aid to Students. No one, under any circumstances, may interpret or explain examination
questions to students, nor may anyone review or comment on the answer paper of
a student while an examination is in progress. In response to inquiries by
students concerning the meaning or interpretation of questions, proctors should
advise students to use their own best judgment.
6.
Clock.
A clock should be in sight of all students. If this is not possible, it is the
duty of the proctors to indicate the time on the board at intervals not
exceeding 1/2 hour throughout the examination period.
7.
Temporary Absence from Examination Room. Do not permit any student
to leave and then return to the examination room during any session of the
examination unless accompanied by a proctor. Students who withdraw from the
sight of the proctor during any examination session must have their examinations
for that session terminated. Any examination paper that is removed from the
examination room without authorization must be invalidated.
8.
Emergency Evacuation of a School Building. Evacuation of a school
building during an examination may be required because of an emergency, such as
a fire alarm or a bomb threat. In any situation in which the safety of the
students is endangered, the principal has full authority to interrupt the
examination immediately. If possible, keep the students under supervision
during the emergency. Then, if work can be resumed, extend the time for the
examination so that the students will be allowed their full time for the examination.
9.
Preserving Integrity of Students’ Responses. No one, under any
circumstances, including the student, may alter the student’s responses on the
test once the student has handed in his or her test materials. Teachers and
administrators who engage in inappropriate conduct with respect to
administering and scoring State examinations may be subject to disciplinary
actions in accordance with Sections 3018 and 3020 of Education Law.
Each student taking a Regents examination is required to sign the following declaration at the completion of the examination:
“I do hereby affirm, at the close of this examination, that I had no unlawful knowledge of the questions or answers prior to the examination and that I have neither given nor received assistance in answering any of the questions during the examination.”
The declaration for each examination is printed on the answer paper. Check to be sure that each student has signed the declaration before the student leaves the room. Do not score papers lacking a signed declaration until the student’s signature has been obtained.
Fraud includes the use of unfair means in
taking an examination, such as obtaining aid from or giving aid to another
person during an examination. Section 225 of the Education Law makes fraud in
examinations a misdemeanor, whether perpetrated by a student or by a teacher or
administrator.
A student should be considered as having
committed fraud only when there is evidence that the student attempted to
either obtain or give aid while taking an examination. If a student violates
one of the prescribed State and/or local policies for taking examinations, but
did not attempt to either obtain or give aid, the student should not be accused
of fraud. For example, if a student leaves the examination room without the permission
of a proctor but is under the supervision of school personnel at all times
while out of the room and there is no evidence that the student attempted to
either obtain or give aid, the student should be disciplined only for leaving
the examination room without permission and not for having committed fraud.
If, in the judgment of the principal, a
student has committed or attempted to commit fraud during an examination, the
principal is authorized to cancel the student’s examination. The student should
be excluded from any subsequent examinations until such time as the student has
demonstrated by exemplary conduct and citizenship, to the satisfaction of the
principal, that the student is entitled to restoration of this privilege. When
an examination is canceled, do not enter any score on the student’s permanent
record.
Before any penalty is applied, the student
accused of fraud shall be given an opportunity to make satisfactory
explanations and to meet with the local board of education, or a person
designated by such board, together with the student’s parents or guardians and
(if so desired by the parents) an attorney, all of whom shall be given the
opportunity to ask questions of the school officials and any other person
having direct personal knowledge of the facts. The principal shall report
promptly to the Office of State Assessment via fax to 518-474-1989 the name of
each student penalized under this regulation, together with a brief description
of circumstances and the final action taken.
Before a Regents examination begins, advise students:
The following sections provide specific directions for administering each Regents examination.
The Comprehensive Examination in English is administered in two three-hour sessions on separate days. To complete the examination, students must attend both sessions. For each session, distribute one examination booklet, face up, to each student. Instruct the students to check that they have the correct examination booklet for the subject and date. Also distribute to each student one essay booklet in which the student is to write answers to the essay questions. (The Department provides essay booklets to schools in the shipment of nonsecure examination materials.)
Instruct the students to read the directions
on the cover of the examination booklet and to detach the answer sheet for
recording their answers to the multiple-choice questions. Instruct the students
to complete the heading on the answer sheet and on the cover and each page of
the essay booklet.
Session One of the examination includes a
listening section. The Directions for Teachers for Session One gives specific
directions for administering the listening section.
You must conclude each session of the
examination exactly three hours after the actual starting time. For Session
One, the starting time is the time when the proctor begins the administration
of the listening section. Instruct any students who remain at the end of the
three-hour period to stop working, sign the declaration, and put their pens
down. Collect the answer sheets and the essay booklets. Then collect the
examination
booklets and dismiss the students. The Information Booklet for Administering
and Scoring the Comprehensive Examination in English provides further
information about the administration and scoring of this examination.
The January 2005 Comprehensive Examination in French is provided in restricted form only. The examination booklet for each student is enclosed in a sealed envelope. Only students taking the examination may open the envelope and read the questions. A separate answer booklet is provided for students to write their responses to Parts 2 through 4.
Each Teacher Dictation Copy is enclosed in a sealed envelope. The teacher administering the examination may open the envelope one hour before the scheduled starting time in order to become familiar with the material. The scoring key is also enclosed in a sealed envelope. Only teachers rating Parts 2 through 4 may open the envelope and read the scoring key. All copies of the examination booklet, the Teacher Dictation Copy, and the scoring key are numbered, and all copies of these materials must be returned to the Department.
Special directions for administering and scoring the restricted edition and for returning materials to the Department are included in the shipment to the school of nonsecure examination materials. Each person involved in the administration of the examination should become thoroughly familiar with these special directions prior to the examination administration.
After you administer Part 2, instruct the
students to continue with the rest of the examination. You must conclude the
examination exactly three hours after the actual starting time for Part 2.
Instruct any students who remain at the end of this time to stop working, sign
the declaration, and follow the directions printed on the last page of the
examination booklet for resealing the examination booklet and scrap paper in
the envelope. Collect the envelopes containing the examination booklets and any
scrap paper. Then collect the answer booklets and dismiss the students.
Distribute one examination booklet, face up,
to each student. Instruct the students to check that they have the correct
examination booklet for the subject and date.
Also distribute one answer booklet, face up,
to each student. These answer booklets were provided to schools by the
Department in the shipment of nonsecure examination materials. Students are to
write their responses to Parts 2 through 4 in the answer booklets.
The directions for administering Part 2 are
included in the Teacher Dictation Copy. After students complete Part 2,
instruct them to continue with the rest of the examination.
You must conclude the examination exactly
three hours after the actual starting time for Part 2. Instruct any students
who remain at the end of this time to stop working, sign the declaration, and
put their pens down. Collect the answer booklets. Then collect the examination
booklets and dismiss the students.
Your school must make calculators available
for use by all students during the entire three-hour examination period. For
each examination, distribute one examination booklet, face up, to each student.
Instruct the students to check that they have the correct examination booklet
for the subject and date.
Instruct the students to read the directions
on the cover and detach the answer sheet on which they are to record their
answers to the Part I questions. Instruct the students to complete the heading
on both the answer sheet and the examination booklet cover.
Make sure that students understand that they
are to record their answers to Part I on the answer sheet and to write their
answers and calculations for Parts II, III, and IV in the examination booklet.
When all students seem to understand these directions, instruct them to begin
the examination.
You must conclude the examination exactly
three hours after the actual starting time. Instruct any students who remain at
the end of this time to stop working, sign the declaration, and put their pens
down. Collect the answer sheets and the examination booklets and dismiss the
students.
The Information Booklet for Administering
and Scoring the Regents Examinations in Mathematics A and Mathematics B provides
further information about the administration and scoring of these examinations.
Distribute one examination booklet, face up,
to each student. Also distribute to each student one essay booklet in which the
student is to write answers to the Parts II and III B essay questions. (The
Department provides essay booklets to schools in the shipment of nonsecure
examination materials.) Instruct the students to check that they have the
correct examination booklet for the subject and date.
Instruct the students to read the directions on
the cover of the examination booklet and to detach the answer sheet on which
they are to record their answers to the Part I multiple-choice questions.
Instruct the students to complete the
headings on the answer sheet, on the cover of the examination booklet, and on
the cover and on each sheet of the essay booklet.
Make sure that students understand that they
are to record their answers to the Part I questions on the answer sheet, to
write their answers to the Part III A questions in the examination booklet, and
to write their responses to the Parts II and III B essay questions in the essay
booklet. When all students seem to understand these directions, instruct them
to begin the examination.
You must conclude each examination exactly three hours after the actual starting time. Instruct any students who remain at the end of this time to stop working, sign the declaration, and put their pens down. Collect the answer sheets, the essay booklets, and the examination booklets and dismiss the students.
The Information Booklet for Administering
and Scoring the Regents Examinations in Global History and Geography and United
States History and Government provides further information about the
administration and scoring of these examinations.
Distribute one examination booklet, face up, to each student. Instruct the students to check that they have the correct examination booklet for the subject and date.
Instruct the students to read the directions
on the cover and to detach the answer sheet on which they are to record their
answers to the Part A questions. Instruct the students to complete the heading
on both the answer sheet and the examination booklet cover. Make four-function
or scientific calculators available for use by all students who wish to have
them during the entire scheduled time period for this examination.
Make sure that students understand that they
are to record their answers to the questions in Part A on the answer sheet and
to write their answers for the questions in Part B and Part C in the
examination booklet. When all students seem to understand these directions,
instruct them to begin the examination.
You must conclude the examination exactly
three hours after the actual starting time. Instruct any students who remain at
the end of this time to stop working, sign the declaration, and put their pens
down. Collect the answer sheets and examination booklets and dismiss the
students.
The Information Booklet for Administering
and Scoring the Regents Examinations in the Sciences provides further
information about the administration and scoring of this examination.
Distribute one answer booklet for Part B–2 and Part C, one examination booklet, face up, and one copy of the 2002 Edition of the Reference Tables for Physical Setting/Chemistry to each student. (The answer booklets are printed on ivory paper and are shrink-wrapped in the same package with the examination booklets.) Each student must also have a four-function or scientific calculator for his or her exclusive use during the entire examination. Students are not permitted to use graphing calculators when taking this examination.
Instruct the students to check that they have
the correct examination booklet and answer booklet for the subject and date.
Also, instruct the students to follow the directions on the cover for detaching
the answer sheet for Part A and Part B–1 from the examination booklet. Have the
students fill in the heading on both the answer booklet and the answer sheet.
Instruct the students to carefully read the
directions for recording their answers. Make sure that students understand that
they are to record their answers to the questions in Part A and Part B–1 on the
answer sheet and to record their answers to the questions in Part B–2 and Part
C in the answer booklet. When all students seem to understand the directions
for marking their answers, instruct them to begin the examination.
You must conclude the examination exactly
three hours after the actual starting time. Instruct any students who remain at
the end of this time to stop working, close their examination booklets, sign
the declaration on the answer sheet, and put their pens down. Then collect the
answer booklet, answer sheet, examination booklet, and reference tables from
each student and dismiss the students.
The Information Booklet for Administering
and Scoring the Regents Examinations in the Sciences provides further
information about the administration and scoring of this examination.
Distribute one answer booklet for Part B–2 and Part C, one examination booklet, face up, and one copy of the 2001 edition of the Earth Science Reference Tables to each student. (The answer booklets are printed on ivory paper and are shrink-wrapped in the same package with the examination booklets.) Each student must also have a four-function or scientific calculator for his or her exclusive use during the entire examination. Students are not permitted to use graphing calculators when taking this examination.
Instruct the students to check that they have
the correct examination booklet and answer booklet for the subject and date.
Also, instruct the students to follow the directions on the cover for detaching
the answer sheet for Part A and Part B–1 from the examination booklet. Have the
students fill in the heading on both the answer sheet and the answer booklet.
Instruct the students to carefully read the
directions for recording their answers. Make sure that students understand that
they are to record their answers to the questions in Part A and Part B–1 on the
answer sheet and to record their answers to the questions in Part B–2 and Part
C in the answer booklet. When all students seem to understand the directions
for recording their answers, instruct them to begin the examination.
You must conclude the examination exactly
three hours after the actual starting time. Instruct any students who remain at
the end of this time to stop working, close their examination booklets, sign
the declaration on the answer sheet, and put their pens down. Then collect the
answer booklet, answer sheet, examination booklet, and reference tables from
each student and dismiss the students.
The Information Booklet for Administering
and Scoring the Regents Examinations in the Sciences provides further
information about the administration and scoring of this examination.
Distribute one examination booklet, face up, and one copy of the 2002 Edition of the Reference Tables for Physical Setting/Physics to each student. Instruct the students to check that they have the correct examination booklet for the subject and date. Each student must also have a scientific or graphing calculator, protractor, and centimeter ruler for his or her exclusive use during the entire examination.
Instruct the students to follow the
directions on the cover for detaching the answer sheet for Part A and Part B–1
and for detaching the answer booklet for Part B–2 and Part C. Have the students
fill in the heading on the answer sheet and the answer booklet.
Instruct the students to carefully read the
directions on the cover for marking the answers on the answer paper. Make sure
that students understand that they are to record their answers to the questions
in Part A and Part B–1 on the separate answer sheet and to record their answers
to the questions in Part B–2 and Part C in the answer booklet.
When it is evident that all students
understand the directions for recording their answers, instruct them to begin
the examination.
You must conclude the examination exactly
three hours after the actual starting time. Instruct any students who remain at
the end of this time to stop working, sign the declaration on the answer sheet,
and put their pens down. Collect the answer sheets, answer booklets,
examination booklets, and reference tables and dismiss the students.
The Information Booklet for Administering
and Scoring Regents Examinations in the Sciences provides further
information about the administration and scoring of this examination.
At least two teachers must rate the answer papers for the Comprehensive Examination in English and for the examinations in Global History and Geography, United States History and Government, Living Environment, Physical Setting/Chemistry, Physical Setting/Earth Science, and Physical Setting/Physics. Raters must follow the procedures described in the appropriate Information Booklet provided in the school’s shipment of nonsecure materials.
At least three teachers must rate the answer
papers for the Mathematics A and B Regents Examinations. Raters must follow the
procedures described in the publication Information Booklet for
Administering and Scoring the Regents Examinations in Mathematics A and
Mathematics B.
If possible, two teachers should rate the
answer papers for the Regents Comprehensive Examinations in French and Spanish
to ensure that they are rated accurately. If your school uses machine scoring
for an examination, the school must hand score a sample of answer sheets after
the machine scoring is completed to ensure that the scoring was done
accurately. The Department’s review of answer papers has found instances of
students receiving incorrect scores because of inaccuracies in machine scoring.
Once students hand in their test materials, the answer papers must not pass from the custody of the teachers. Except when answer papers are being scored in cooperation with another school, answer papers must not be removed from the school building until the rating has been completed and the test scores have been recorded on each student’s permanent record. When the papers are being scored in cooperation with another school, it remains the principal’s responsibility to ensure the security of the answer papers while they are out of the building.
Raters must use red pen or red pencil. When
scoring student responses to multiple-choice questions, teachers should mark
distinctly all incorrect and omitted answers. The teachers rating each answer
paper must write their initials clearly on the paper.
Teachers must rate strictly according to the
key provided by the Department. They may allow credit for other answers to
open-ended questions only if those answers are clearly equivalent to the key
answer. Schools must obtain permission from the Department before students can
be given credit for any answer that is not clearly equivalent to the key
answer. A teacher may not give credit for answers that the teacher considers
merely “possible” or “reasonable.”
To maintain uniform rating standards, all
teachers involved in rating Regents examinations must be thoroughly familiar
with the rating instructions provided by the Department. The scoring key that
accompanies each Regents examination provides directions for rating
multiple-choice and short-answer questions, as well as guidelines for rating
the essays. Separate rating guides provide additional detail on rating the
Mathematics and Physics Regents Examinations. To obtain copies of these rating
guides, send a request by fax to the Office of State Assessment at
518-486-5765.
For students with disabilities, the only
permissible testing accommodations that have any bearing on the scoring of
answer papers are the IEP or Section 504 Accommodation Plan exemption(s) from
spelling, paragraphing, and/or punctuation requirements. Otherwise, the answer
papers written by students with disabilities must be scored according to the
same standards used to score answer papers for all students.
The minimum passing score on a Regents examination to satisfy the testing requirements for a Regents diploma is 65. However, Section 100.5(a) of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education allows public school districts and nonpublic schools to establish lower passing scores, no lower than 55, to satisfy the testing requirements for a local diploma.
Students taking Regents examinations to earn course credit in accordance with Section 100.5(d) of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education must earn a score of 85 for credit to be awarded. All Regents examination scores earned in each attempt to earn credit in this manner including those below 85 must be entered into the student’s permanent records.
The Office of State Assessment does not keep records of Regents examination scores earned by individual students. Schools must therefore maintain complete and accurate permanent records. Each time a student takes an examination at the scheduled time under proper supervision, the school must enter the name of the examination, the date of the administration, and the score on the student’s permanent record.
Do not enter any score in the permanent records as a Regents examination score unless it has been obtained on a Regents examination; that is, scores obtained on Department-approved alternative exami-nations must not be recorded on the permanent record as Regents examination scores.