Required Regents Review?  

By: Valerie Mayo

As June 2022 approaches and the Regents we so dearly have missed these past COVID years return, students and teachers find themselves at a crossroads: they must decide whether to readjust their preparation systems or to continue as they once were with Required Regents Review Sessions during ninth periods.

In asking the opinion of both experienced faculty and a student currently attending sessions, the general response seemed to be uncertainty mixed with indifference. However, there were some points made in concern from both sides of the program.

The staff member first outlined what used to be the expectation of Required Review Attendance in years prior. They explained that “Students were required to attend 10-12 days of review during 9th Period for the courses that ended with a regents exam.” They also acknowledged that crucial skills including “time management and long[-]term planning [specifically] over the last month of school” were benefited and improved through the implementation of the policy. They also pointed out that this form of Regents Prep better conveyed “the importance of performance on a high[-]stakes exam.” This could especially be true for those students who have little experience with standardized testing at a high school level— an important factor to consider after COVID canceled many of the Regents that would have otherwise provided experience to the class of 2023, for example, as freshmen and sophomores.

However, as some classes continue this practice in 2022 without hesitation, the new learning environment and perspectives developed after countless shifts occurred within the past few years, COVID-related or otherwise, some questions come up in the discussion. The same faculty member admits that they “did not think that the days were distributed evenly [as] subjects required many more days than others.” Another controversial factor in the eyes of this staff member was that, in recent years especially, “many [tests] have shifted to skill[-]based performance rather than content,” which, they said, was something difficult to practice, for example, under the time constraints of ninth period. After all, thirty minutes is much less than what would normally be allotted for an essay, a staple of a variety of Regents Exams.

Not only are styles of preparation being reconsidered in some cases, but also the demand placed upon students when making review sessions mandatory. One student, who is currently enrolled in a class which mandates attendance for at least part of the ninth-period review days being offered, acknowledges the complexities in scheduling prep in this way. They said that the sessions taking place during ninth periods can make it difficult for some to attend the required amount. This could be due to other responsibilities at home or with other organizations in school, including other classes with their own attendance quotas for review sessions. The student mentioned homeroom as being a potential second option, but this idea was quickly countered with their realization that this period in the day is what some students dedicate to meeting with a variety of other teachers for individual assistance, quiz makeups, and more.

The student said that the “right idea” is there, though, in that the sessions do encourage proper studying and preparation for the important exams taking place at the end of June.

The time that the teachers dedicate to organize Regents Review every day leading up to their corresponding Regents exams is most certainly appreciated, but the discussions in the hallways and comments being made in classrooms also lead this reporter to wonder: what happens if only those students who already have established preferred studying methods attend? What if those that truly need assistance cannot stay ninth period every required day due to an inflexible conflict in scheduling, and this not only takes away the benefit, but also leaves them with yet another unnecessary black mark in the gradebook?

There is much to consider moving forward in a drastically altered education system these days, and Required Regents Review is only a part. It will be interesting to see how policies may change, or if traditional Regents Prep will continue to demonstrate its value in the post-COVID world.