What will school look like in a post-Regents world? Officials tease a ‘competency-based’ approach.

“Sign up for Chalkbeat New York’s free daily newsletter to get essential news about NYC’s public schools delivered to your inbox. For years, New York officials have been talking about what it should take to earn a high school diploma as the state gradually moves away from standardized Regents exams. But they have shared few details about how a new system would work. On Monday, they touted a new “competency-based” model as part of the state’s broader effort to phase out the Regents , which current ninth and 10th graders do not need to pass to graduate, under the state’s current timeline. The new graduation measures are expected to be fully phased in by the 2029-30 school year. Under the new framework, the state would overhaul credit requirements that specify the number of hours of instruction students receive in each subject, a change officials said would free students up for projects, work-based learning, and dual-enrollment programs. It could allow schools and local districts to think more creatively about how to assess students using portfolios, performances, and other measures beyond tests and grades . Angelique Johnson-Dingle, a deputy commissioner in the state Education Department, referred to traditional school schedules, in which students move between classes at set times, as an outdated “factory model” of education during a presentation to the state Board of Regents. “It is about time for us to rethink this factory model and to provide districts with the support to transform antiquated structures, reimagine the use of time and space, and refocus on deep, authentic, connected learning,” she said. But state officials have not offered a detailed vision of what the competency-based approach would look like and indicated local districts and schools would have flexibility in how they implement it. Officials have also yet to explain what specific graduation measures will replace the Regents exams. “I think it’s well-intentioned, ” said Jeff Smink, the deputy director of the advocacy group Ed-Trust New York. He said the state’s explanation of the competency-based approach involved “a hell of a lot of buzzwords, but not a lot of detail on what it would look like in the classroom.” Many states have adopted competency-based education policies to varying degrees, often because of a belief that students need to be prepared for a changing economy. However, there is limited evidence that the approach boosts student performance and it can be tricky to implement. Officials in Maine wound up rolling back a similar initiative after local districts had trouble defining proficiency and teachers struggled to communicate how students would be assessed. Board of Regents members unhappy with lack of detailed plans Several members of the Board of Regents said they were excited by the competency-based approach. But some also expressed frustration that there were few specifics about how it fit with new graduation requirements that will replace Regents exams. “The teachers are saying to me, ‘I don’t know what this means, and I do not know how to prepare for it,’” said Regent Hasoni Pratts, who represents Brooklyn. “This presentation today, I don’t think gave them a little bit more clarity on that.” Pratts noted that her own ninth-grade son is confused about whether he needs to pass Regents exams to graduate. “He’s asked me, ‘Do I take the Regents now, or do I not take the Regents?” State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa acknowledged some questions around the competency-based approach and stressed that more information would eventually be shared by state officials, local districts, and even Regents themselves. Students would still be required to master state learning standards in civics, math, science, and other subjects, officials said. “Yes, we’re going to have many, many questions as we go through this, but the idea is that we do have to change,” Rosa said. The state is soliciting feedback on the framework over the summer and final changes must be approved by the Board of Regents. Even without clear guidance on the new competency-based framework, state officials encouraged school districts to begin experimenting with different ways of assessing students and boosting access to work-based learning in the meantime. Other members of the board raised questions about the workload involved for educators in transitioning to the competency-based approach. “I think the concept and the idea is wonderful,” said Regent Susan Mittler, who represents several upstate counties. But if a teacher is pursuing more ambitious projects with larger classes, “How do I get everything graded?” Mittler wondered. “How do I make sure that all the students working on a capstone project have access to me when they have a problem?” Some advocates also raised questions about how the state will make sure that the approach doesn’t lead to uneven expectations in different schools and districts across New York. “We already have too many districts that are simply passing students — particularly students of color from low-income backgrounds — even though they’re not prepared,” Smink said. “This just raises a lot of both equity and rigor concerns.” State officials vowed to release “common criteria” for demonstrating each of the competencies and other guardrails to ensure rigor across the state. “This is not about lowering standards,” said Board of Regents Chancellor Lester Young. “This is about redefining how all of our students meet the standard.” Alex Zimmerman is a senior reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Alex at azimmerman@chalkbeat.org .

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