Moving Away from the NYS Regents

Beginning this 2019-20 school year, St. Joe’s no longer uses the New York State Regents curriculum and assessment system as the foundation for the school’s academic program. This change allowed us to create a new academic vision, and a more dynamic and adaptive curriculum. Preparing students for college requires us to provide greater opportunity for collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and communication.

This decision had been under consideration for several years. A committee of St. Joe’s educators, board members, and local education leaders were dedicated to this issue, evaluating the current curriculum and course offerings, and analyzing the insights revealed during the strategic planning process in 2016.

In addition, President Fulco and Principal Spillman '95 initiated meaningful dialogue with high school leaders across the state who have eliminated the Regents curriculum in their schools. Additionally, they communicated with college personnel to ensure we were clear on any implications for the admissions process. In every conversation, it became more evident that the decision to eliminate Regents would net only positive results for our students and teachers.

How does this look in the 2019-20 school year?
• The work to create a new, innovative curriculum in all discipline areas meant new courses and other elements indicative of this change were in place in September.
• Freshmen and sophomores will not be offered Regents exams.
• Juniors will be offered the opportunity to take Regents exams to earn the Regents or Advanced Regents diploma.
• During the 2020-21 school year, Regents exams will no longer be offered.

Our incredible faculty is excited and eager for the transition, and we embrace the many important tasks ahead. We are all extremely motivated when we envision our future: new courses of study, more cross-curricular learning opportunities, and a wider variety of assessment tools to measure results. A Teaching and Learning Committee comprised of administrators and teacher-leaders has been formed to lead the transition planning efforts, and important professional development opportunities have been identified.

 

As always, reach out to Principal James Spillman '95 with questions at [email protected].