Parents raise concerns over ‘unfair’ state science Regents Exams
Parents across multiple school districts are voicing similar concerns, taking to social media and contacting News 12 to say the state science Regents exams were not only unusually difficult, but included material students had not been taught in class.
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After months of studying alongside her daughter for the 10th grade Earth Science Regents exam, Deepa Sachdev said Thursday’s test left the 16-year-old overwhelmed and in tears.
“She was very overwhelmed, she cried a little bit during the exam. She hasn’t done that before in any exam or test, so that was a little disheartening,” said Sachdev, of Dix Hills.
Parents across multiple school districts are voicing similar concerns, taking to social media and contacting News 12 to say the state science Regents exams were not only unusually difficult, but included material students had not been taught in class.
Many worry the results could negatively impact their children’s transcripts, raising questions about fairness and consistency in statewide testing.
“It’s OK to be tested on what you learned, but it’s not fair to be tested on what you didn’t learn,” Sachdev said.
Following those concerns, News 12 reached out to the New York State Education Department about whether the Regents exam content aligned with classroom instruction.
In a statement, a spokesperson said the department is confident in the exams.
“We are confident that the Regents Exams are well aligned with the state's learning standards,” the spokesperson said.
The department added that if students encounter unfamiliar material, the issue lies with instruction, not the test itself.
“If students were not taught content on the Regents, that is an implementation issue, not an exam issue,” the statement said.
Still, families like Sachdev’s say the experience has been stressful, as they now wait anxiously for results.
“I hope the situation can be resolved, at least for future classes,” she said.
In response to the controversy, the Sachem School District superintendent notified parents that Regents exam scores will not be factored into students’ final course grades, stating the tests “did not provide students with a fair opportunity to fully demonstrate what they learned.”
