Commissioner Steiner's Focus for Concern

In several presentations around the state, as well as to the Board of Regents, Commissioner Steiner "admitted...that New York's tests have become too easy and predictable."  In a report analyzing the state's progress relative to the nation's progress, Commissioner Steiner concludes that although within our state test scores have risen, compared to the nation, we are being surpassed.  The first step is changing the cut point.  What this means is beginning with this year's tests, mastery will be raised.   The result will be students who scored as proficient in the past may appear to have declined in their achievement.  What this means to us is, after all these years of tracking our progress, we will need to begin with this year as a baseline moving forward.  It is important to understand why the Commissioner is making these changes.  The result of an analysis of students' results on the eighth-grade math exam revealed that students who received a 3 on the 8th grade exam have a 1 in 3 chance of earning an 80 on their math Regents exam in high school.  Colleges are reporting that students who receive below 80 on English or Math Regents Exams are likely to require remediation in college.  At two-year colleges 44 percent of their students require remediation, and in four-year colleges about 13 percent require remediation.  Commissioner Steiner reported, "The more you have to do remedial work in college...the less likely you are to graduate."  The latest research on the earning differential between high school graduates and college graduates is: