Perspectives on Regents Scoring

Yesterday I, along with many other teachers in New York State, administered the Common Core English Regents. I proctored students who had extended time and require scribes and the test to be read aloud to them. Many have taken the Regents before but were scheduled for it again anyway to see if they would reach that elusive and arbitrary mark of “college and career readiness.” Today, I had to report for Regents scoring at a different school. This is a process that is so heavily micromanaged that the teachers scoring were assigned seats. Of course, we spent the morning going over the rubric and norming ourselves. I always find this process eye opening because the state seems to grade much more leniently than we normally would in our classrooms.

I believe this is for two reasons. The powers that be want as many kids to pass the Regents as possible, so we are instructed to score somewhat differently than we would grade classroom assignments. If it matches the criteria on the rubric, err on the side of the student. Of course, as a special education teacher, I would do this anyway because I hope to pay it forward. If I give a student the benefit of the doubt, I hope that someone else at another scoring site is giving my student the benefit of the doubt.

The other reason that the essays are scored this way (that I believe) is that on a state level, they want the scores to be good so they can say their education policies are working. That the testing is justified. That it’s fair. Except, many of us educators know in our heart that isn’t true. But we put on a brave face for our students and administer their modifications in hopes that on an individual level, they will progress and be able to move on from these exams.