There have been a host of problems with the Regents exam grading - from out of license teachers grading them to computer system crashes to scanning problems to "norming" issues at the grading sites.
I wrote last week that these scores are dubious at best and parents should try and have their child's test rescored if they receive a failing grade.
As we approach the end of the school year and the NYCDOE is scrambling to get all the tests graded before Wednesday, I think it is imperative for parents to understand that there was NOTHING "objective," "scientific," or "rational" about the grading system.
You cannot know if your child's test was graded by a teacher at 8:55 at night, bleary-eyed from working all day and then reading computerized test scans for five hours after school.
You cannot know if your child's test was graded by an out of license teacher and, if so, was regraded by a teacher in license.
You cannot know if McGraw-Hill scanned your child's test booklet correctly so that the words could be read on a computer screen.
You cannot know what "norming" process took place at the site where your child's test was graded or if that process aligned completely to the state standards for grading.
You cannot know these things, but you can be sure all of these may have affected how your child's Regents exam was graded.
Thus if you are unhappy with your child's score or believe it may not show the full understanding and mastery of the subject your child has in the subject she/he was tested in, you should petition to have your child's test rescored
The NYSED and the NYCDOE are not going to be happy if they get hundreds or even thousands of requests for rescoring.
But too bad for them.
Both of these bodies have placed high stakes to these tests for students, teachers and schools and so we must make sure that these tests have been graded correctly.
Hello
ReplyDeleteHow do I go about petitioning to have the regent s exam rescored. This was the first time my child ever took a regents: he took the living environment regents. I was told he had to take and fail the regents two times, by the Board of Regents before I could challenge his score
Hello
ReplyDeleteHow do I go about petitioning to have the regent s exam rescored. This was the first time my child ever took a regents: he took the living environment regents. I was told he had to take and fail the regents two times, by the Board of Regents before I could challenge his score
Hello
ReplyDeleteHow do I go about petitioning to have the regent s exam rescored. This was the first time my child ever took a regents: he took the living environment regents. I was told he had to take and fail the regents two times, by the Board of Regents before I could challenge his score
The guidelines generally pertain to the old system, when exams were graded using pen and paper, and can be read here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.p12.nysed.gov/assessment/sam/secondary/section3.html
Maybe of these guidelines no longer hold water with the electronic grading.
The scanning, the computer glitches, the driving of the exams to Connecticut, the grading on computers, the late night, weekend grading are factors that can contribute to errors in scoring or grading. The NYSED, the Regents and the NYCDOE are not going to want to see it this way, but I bet if parents band together and sue as a group, a court will.
i agree.... My son's school conselor informed me the day before the last day of school(today June 25) that the score on his Global regent is a 62.. 65 is passing and he is a senior graduating.... I emailed the Principal and the District office.... I want the to look at the exam again and see if the can find three points... I faith that they will revisit his exam... i will be at his school early in the morning.... any suggestions..
ReplyDeleteThe DOE is not going to want to go down the road of regrading. But the numerous news reports of grading delays, computer system glitches, out of license teachers who graded some exams before they were pulled from the grading, etc. means you can say you do NOT trust that the score is accurate, the exam was graded correctly, and that all the problems related to the scoring didn't adversely affect how your son's test was graded. I would call the public advocate's office and tell them your story and Shelly Silver's office. Also your City Council rep, your Assembly rep and your State Senator. These people at the DOE know the grading was a sham and they know that a lot of these scores are wrong. Now the problem becomes getting them to acknowledge this publicly and then doing the right thing about it. A little political pressure from above might help them do the right thing and have the test regraded and rescored.
DeleteHere are some numbers:
Bill De Blasio - Public Advocate:
Constituent services: (212) 669-7250
Sheldon Silver - Assembly Speaker
Manhattan - 212-312-1420
Albany - 518-455-3791
Good luck!
A major problem with the marking of this current Regents Exam is that Elementary and Junior High school teachers were allowed to mark an exam that is not administered in either the Junior High schools or Elementary Schools.Moreover, the training these per-secondary school teacher's received prior to the actual grading of the exam was minimal and could not even begin to compare with the experience I brought to the table after marking the exams for over 20 years without a complaint about my credentials until the scorers were now going to be paid per session.
ReplyDeleteI have a Masters degree in Literacy and have taught English 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 over the past twenty years.Suddenly, after scoring one days battery of exams and returning the following day to continue,I was called out of the marking room area and informed that my services would no longer be needed.I was told that I needed a license in English as opposed to the one I have which is in Literacy.
"The primary sense of literacy still represents the lifelong, intellectual process of gaining meaning from a critical interpretation of the written or printed text. Key to all literacy is reading development, a progression of skills that begins with the ability to understand spoken words and decode written words, and culminates in the deep understanding of text. Reading development involves a range of complex language underpinnings including awareness of speech sounds (phonology), spelling patterns (orthography), word meaning (semantics), grammar (syntax) and patterns of word formation (morphology), all of which provide a necessary platform for reading fluency and comprehension. Once these skills are acquired the reader can attain full language literacy, which includes the abilities to approach printed material with critical analysis, inference and synthesis; to write with accuracy and coherence; and to use information and insights from text as the basis for informed decisions and creative thought." (Wikipedia)
The fact that this was an English Comprehensive Regents Exam and my specialty is reading remediation and enabling students to write coherently and think critically about the written word is unequivocally a standard requirement and skill which I possess. Additionally, I scored the very same type of exams at the very same school location in Brooklyn the year before and have since acquired more professional development that further certifies me to teach classes in the form and fashion that is in alignment with the Common Core State Standards of NYS.
I realize that the fiasco of organizing the scoring of the Regents Exams has caused the powers to be to strike out and cut / minimize their (per session pay ) losses by devising ways or conjuring excuses to send scorers home, but I certainly still feel more than qualified and I'm sure that the students whose papers I have marked for the past 20 years feel that they were honestly and efficiently graded by a competent and qualified teacher.
Respectfully Yours,
A major problem with the marking of this current Regents Exam is that Elementary and Junior High school teachers were allowed to mark an exam that is not administered in either the Junior High schools or Elementary Schools.Moreover, the training these pre-secondary school teacher's received prior to the actual grading of the exam was minimal and could not even begin to compare with the experience I brought to the table after marking the exams for over 20 years without a complaint about my credentials until the scorers were now going to be paid per session.
ReplyDeleteI have a Masters degree in Literacy and have taught English 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 over the past twenty years.Suddenly, after scoring one days battery of exams and returning the following day to continue,I was called out of the marking room area and informed that my services would no longer be needed.I was told that I needed a license in English as opposed to the one I have which is in Literacy.
"The primary sense of literacy still represents the lifelong, intellectual process of gaining meaning from a critical interpretation of the written or printed text. Key to all literacy is reading development, a progression of skills that begins with the ability to understand spoken words and decode written words, and culminates in the deep understanding of text. Reading development involves a range of complex language underpinnings including awareness of speech sounds (phonology), spelling patterns (orthography), word meaning (semantics), grammar (syntax) and patterns of word formation (morphology), all of which provide a necessary platform for reading fluency and comprehension. Once these skills are acquired the reader can attain full language literacy, which includes the abilities to approach printed material with critical analysis, inference and synthesis; to write with accuracy and coherence; and to use information and insights from text as the basis for informed decisions and creative thought." (Wikipedia)
The fact that this was an English Comprehensive Regents Exam and my specialty is reading remediation and enabling students to write coherently and think critically about the written word is unequivocally a standard requirement and skill which I possess. Additionally, I scored the very same type of exams at the very same school location in Brooklyn the year before and have since acquired more professional development that further certifies me to teach classes in the form and fashion that is in alignment with the Common Core State Standards of NYS.
I realize that the fiasco of organizing the scoring of the Regents Exams has caused the powers to be to strike out and cut / minimize their (per session pay ) losses by devising ways or conjuring excuses to send scorers home, but I certainly still feel more than qualified and I'm sure that the students whose papers I have marked for the past 20 years feel that they were honestly and efficiently graded by a competent and qualified teacher.
Respectfully Yours,ANON
My child who has a disability recently scored a 51 on both her global and living environment regents exams. Because of that disability she only has to score a 55 on the exam. I believe there is another 4 points that can be found on both of those tests. Otherwise, as a senior she will have to take both of them again, on the same day, a few days before she's scheduled to graduate and if they aren't passed, she will not be allowed to graduate on time. The amount of stress this is causing for a child who is already sick is unspeakable. Any guidance you can share on how we can go about having those tests regraded would be greatly appreciated. SM
ReplyDeleteI remembered that there was a scoring delay in my Global History regents. I didn't receive the grade on my report card. When I went to my guidance counsoler, she successfully had the score and she said that I have an 85 on the Global History regents.
ReplyDeleteNice Post. It’s really a very good article. I noticed all your important points. Thanks
ReplyDeleteI would like some parents to protest against this regents and make it with things that the kids are learning in school. My child does really good in school and yet she cannot pass any of these stupid tests. She is so stressed out. Mostly because she said most of the things they get on the tests, they did not even teach in school. I have been hearing a lot about this from other kids who are not even in her school. What is really going on with this school system?
ReplyDeleteI have the same problem too, we should really get together and do something about it, all the parents.
Deletewhy should we have to test our kids with things they was taught, why not tests the teachers to see if they are qualified
ReplyDeleteI need to really know how my child is failing these regents when she is a honor roll student. Please let me know how to get her tests to look at it.
ReplyDeleteplease help my son has taken this test since 10th grade he failed in june with a 59 he only needed a 63 to get the test signed off and he could graduate he did not he just took it again in August and got a55 now he has to wait until January to take it again . the school said he should come and sit in class but i feel like why whats would b the difference when he did all of that all ready . he has done so much global regent prep i dont want him to give up he was a great student all year long honor roll every quarter.this is holding him back from going to college.the test is absolutely hard they dont know what's gonna b on the test how can u study and u have no clue whats going to b on the test these kids work so hard for 4 years why let one test hold them back and they will never use any of that shit in real life someone help me please.
ReplyDelete