Students across New York are speaking out after this year’s Earth Science Regents exam left many confused, frustrated, and feeling blindsided—with questions about toll payments instead of actual weather science.
“Am I Supposed to Know This?”
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Two eighth graders from Long Island told FOX 5 NY they felt completely unprepared for what they saw on the test.
“The test felt like a reading comprehension test,” said student Andy Ryoo.
“One of the questions was about toll payments – weather wasn’t covered, which is a huge topic, and we spent months on it.”
The exam, a graduation requirement in New York, typically covers foundational Earth science topics like weather patterns, plate tectonics, and the water cycle. Students must pass at least four Regents exams to earn a Regents diploma—a requirement that only a handful of U.S. states still enforce.
Local Backlash: “It Wasn’t Fair”
The Jericho School District quickly responded to student concerns. At a recent school board meeting, one student said:
“I didn’t really believe what was happening because everything I had studied had basically gone to waste.”
Superintendent Hank Grisham backed students up, criticizing the exam and the state’s testing process:
“The kids studied and mastered material that was not accurately tested. Why should we then take this test and use it to grade our kids?”
He added that after reviewing the test, many educators agreed that the reading level wasn’t appropriate, saying it was more about literacy than Earth science content.
As a result, the district announced the test scores would not count toward students’ grades this year.
NYS Education Department Responds
Despite the backlash, the New York State Education Department defended the exam in a statement:
“Because of our extensive processes involving industry-standard test development procedures and the involvement of hundreds of NYS teachers, we are very confident that the Regents Exams are well-aligned with the learning standards.”
They added that the Earth Science Regents is one of several “new assessments” introduced this year as part of updates to state learning standards and test design. Other updated exams include the Geometry and Life Science: Biology Regents.
Expert Opinion: Curriculum May Be to Blame
Alan Singer, an education professor at Hofstra University, offered a different take:
“My understanding is that the new exam is aligned with the curriculum,” suggesting the issue may lie in how schools are adjusting to the revised standards.
Bottom Line
While the state stands by its new testing format, students and school officials are demanding more transparency and better alignment between classroom learning and what’s tested.
For now, the debate over standardized testing in New York continues—especially as students, parents, and educators question whether the Regents exams are truly serving their purpose.
