Purposes of the Examinations
Regents Examinations are achievement tests that are aligned with New York State's Learning Standards. Prepared by teacher examination committees and Department subject and testing specialists, Regents Examinations provide schools with a basis for evaluating the quality of instruction and learning that have taken place. They are used by school personnel to identify major learning goals, offering both teachers and students a guide to important understandings, skills, and concepts. The examinations also provide students, parents, counselors, administrators, college admissions officers, and employers with objective and easily understood achievement information for use in making sound educational and vocational decisions. Passing scores on the Regents Examinations in English, mathematics, science, and social studies satisfy the State testing requirements for a high school diploma.
Regents Competency Tests (RCTs) are achievement tests designed to assess basic proficiency in the areas of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies. In the past, schools could award local high school diplomas to students who passed all six RCTs as well as the required coursework. The Department, in accordance with a timetable that was adopted by the Board of Regents, has phased out the eligibility of general education students in public schools to take these tests. Students are instead required to pass the Regents Examinations in order to receive a high school diploma. However, the RCTs continue to be available for students with disabilities who first enter grade 9 prior to the 2010-11 school year as part of a safety net for such students. To earn a high school diploma, students with disabilities must take each Regents Examination ordinarily required for graduation at least once. If unsuccessful on one or more of the required Regents Examinations, eligible students with disabilities may be granted a local high school diploma on the basis of passing the corresponding RCT(s). The RCT Safety Net
is available to all students who have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and to students who have Section 504 Accommodation Plans (504 Plans) that specify RCT Safety Net eligibility. It is also available to students with disabilities declassified while in
grades 8 through 12 whose last IEP specifies RCT Safety Net eligibility. The RCTs are administered to eligible students with disabilities as follows:
- Mathematics and Science in Grades 9 through 12;
- Global Studies in Grades 10 through 12; and
- Reading, Writing, and United States History and Government in Grades 11 and 12.
Second Language Proficiency Examinations are achievement tests designed to measure learning outcomes at Checkpoint A of the State syllabi Modern Languages for Communication and Latin for Communication. These examinations are administered primarily to students in grades lower than Grade 9 who wish to earn one unit of high school credit in a second language.
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