Nearly all [99%] Somers High School passed the English Regents Exam last year. However, only 64% were “solidly competent” to do college work in that subject, although 98% planned to attend a two- or four-year college. Compared to three neighboring high schools, Somers High School ranked last in this category but only by a few percentage points. See the chart below. Last month,
as reported in Somers Spectator, the State Education Department released report cards for all schools in New York, including test scores in the Regents Exam for last year. In the first of our periodic reports, the Somers Spectator looks at the performance at Somers High School in the Comprehensive English part of the Regents Exam.
College-ready. College-readiness is a growing concern of state education officials. In February, NYS released statistics that show passing the Regents exam does not mean a student is prepared for college or a well paying career, according to a New York Times story. A score of 65 is a passing grade in the Regents test, but a score of 75 to 85 is the bare minimum for college readiness. Below that score, colleges often have to enroll incoming freshmen in remedial courses to bring the students up the school’s expectations. SUNY campuses typically use a score of 85 “as a mark of “solid competence”, below 75 is a mark of ‘inadequately prepared’ ”, said a July 2010 report by the Board of Regents, which sets the state’s education policies. The issue is not limited to Somers but state-wide, even in wealthy school districts. The Board of Regents is discussing what to do with this data and may issue guidelines later this month.
Comparing Schools. In the above chart, the published results for Somers High School are compared to three neighboring high schools as well as Rye High School. The neighboring high schools are Carmel [Carmel Central School District], Fox Lane [Bedford Central School District] and John Jay [Katonah-Lewisboro School District]. The Somers Spectator does not know if the neighboring schools are the most apt for comparison. Rye High School was selected because of its similar size and because it is rated one of the best high schools in Westchester County by Newsweek and US News and World Reports magazines.
LINKS:
http://somersspectator.blogspot.com/2011/02/somers-schools-get-grades.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/08/nyregion/08regents.html?_r=3&hp=&pagewanted=all
https://www.nystart.gov/publicweb/Home.do?year=2010
http://usny.nysed.gov/A_New_Proficiency_Public_Version07_22.pdf
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