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Scores on Math Regents Exam to Be Raised for Thousands
By KAREN W. ARENSON Thousands of students who initially failed the troubled Math A Regents exam in June will receive passing grades under a new scoring chart issued yesterday by the New York State Education Department, a department spokesman said. Nearly two-thirds of the 10th graders who took the exam - which is required to graduate from high school - will pass, compared with one-third under the original scoring, the department estimated. The rescoring of the test, which a state committee found to be far more difficult than in previous years, is also expected to mean that about 80 percent of the ninth-grade students will pass, compared to 61 percent before. (The department still does not know how many students took the test or what scores they received; its estimates are based on a survey in June of 400 school districts around the state.) Under the rescoring, all students who originally scored 47 or higher will receive 65 or higher, which is passing. So many students failed the Math A exam in June that they and their teachers and principals bombarded the Education Department with complaints that the test was unfair. After a quick survey, the department agreed that it appeared more difficult than in previous years. It voided test scores for juniors and seniors, and appointed an outside committee of experts to analyze what went wrong. That panel recommended that all scores be raised, and the Education Department issued a table yesterday showing how much each score will be raised. The state introduced Math A, which covers topics like algebra, geometry and trigonometry, to try to raise the level of math education. It requires more problem solving and covers more material than the previous entry-level high school math course, Math 1. Most students take Math A over three semesters rather than a year; some spread it out over two years. Many students take the test in 10th grade, but good math students take it earlier. Weaker ones often take it later. Some of the original test scores will not change at all; a zero will remain a zero, for example, and a 100 will remain a 100. But other test scores will be raised by as many as 18 points. An original score of 47 will be lifted 18 points to a 65, which is passing. An original score of 65 will be raised 10 points to a 75. And all scores between 93 and 99 will become 99 after conversion. (The full conversion chart is available on the department's Web site, www.nysed.gov.) Some teachers, like Steven Levine, a special-education math teacher at White Plains High School in Westchester County, welcomed the rescoring, but questioned the difficulty of the Math A curriculum and exam. "Too many of the kids are failing this test," Mr. Levine said. "I don't disagree with raising standards, but I think we went too far." He and other teachers suggested that the state return to testing students after one year of study, rather than after 18 months or two years. The math study committee is expected to deliver its full assessment and recommendations in October. |
