Workshop for Principals & Lead Partners Science Regents Requirements January 2007

1. Workshop for Principals & Lead Partners Science Regents RequirementsJanuary 2007 New Visions for Public Schools

2. AGENDA • Overview of Requirements • Key Definitions  • FAQs New Visions for Public Schools

3. The Problem: Some schools do not fully understand or have not complied with the NYSED’s laboratory requirement for admission to a science regents exam.Today’s workshop will clarify these rules. There are serious consequences for principals, staff and students for not following these regulations—e.g., removal from the system, removal from position, financial penalties, or loss of regents credits. The Implications: New Visions for Public Schools

4. What is a core curriculum in science? • Core curricula in science provides guidelines to assist schools in developing curriculum in science content areas.  • All science core curricula are derived from the New York State Learning Standards for Mathematics, Science, and Technology (MST) and designed to facilitate attainment of these standards [100.1(1)(t)(1)(ii)]. • The following core curricula in science are available from the NYSED for HS: Living Environment Core Curriculum, The Physical Setting/Earth Science Core Curriculum, The Physical Setting/Chemistry Core Curriculum, and The Physical Setting/Physics Core Curriculum • http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/mst/scirg.html New Visions for Public Schools

5. Regular Regents DiplomaScience Summary • 3 years of commencement level science • At least one course in the physical sciences and one in life science • 3rd course can be either from physical science or life science or integrated science or MST Integrated course or commencement level technology course as long as it is not being used to satisfy 3rd math credit • Students must take and pass 1 Regents Exam in Science – course leading to that Regents Exam must be based on one of the 4 Core Curricula and students must complete 1200 minute minimum lab requirement over and above seat time requirement • Other 2 courses can be Core Courses but students don’t have to take Regents Exam or they can be elective courses that must meet Commencement Level Standards (1, 2, 6 & 7) and have a lab component New Visions for Public Schools

6. Advanced Regents DiplomaScience Summary • 3 years of commencement level science • At least one course in the physical sciences and one in life science • 3rd course can be either from physical science or life science or integrated science or MST Integrated course or commencement level technology course as long as it is not being used to satisfy3rd math credit • Students must take and pass 2 Regents Exams in Science – courses leading to that Regents Exam must be based on two of the 4 Core Curricula and students must complete 1200 minute minimum lab requirement over and above seat time requirement for each course. One Regents Exam must be from the Physical Setting and One must be from the Living Environment. • Other course can be a Core Course but students don’t have to take a Regents Exam or it can be an elective courses that must meet Commencement Level Standards (1, 2, 6 & 7) and have a lab component New Visions for Public Schools

7. What is the laboratory requirement for admission to a Regents examination in science? • For admission to a Regents examination in science, a student must complete the State- mandated laboratory requirement. The laboratory component must be provided in addition to the required classroom instruction associated with earning a unit of credit and must include 1200 minutes* of hands-on laboratory with satisfactory laboratory reports [100.5(b)(7)(iv)(d)]. Laboratory reports must be kept on file for at least six months after the student takes a Regents examination in science.   *1200 minutes = 20 hours for each student. New Visions for Public Schools

8. Must the laboratory requirement be met prior to admission to a State Regents examination in science? • Yes. Schools are permitted to establish a target date for the completion and submission of the laboratory requirement at any time, but no later than one week prior to the administration of any component of a Regents examination in science. • The Department strongly recommends that the laboratory requirement be completed again by all students who fail any commencement–level science course.  New Visions for Public Schools

9. May a school administrator or teacher exempt a student from the laboratory requirement? • No. All students must complete the laboratory requirement.  • Students who are hospitalized, homebound, or home-schooled may be given comparative laboratories or alternative laboratories. New Visions for Public Schools

10. Must the Lab experience be “hands-on? Yes. All laboratories completed by students should be hands-on. Students should be actively engaged in laboratory work. While computer programs, research conducted in libraries or on the Internet, and worksheets may be a part of the laboratory experience, they should not comprise the sole experience. Teacher demonstrations, followed by student reports are also not considered to be a hands-on experience. New Visions for Public Schools

11. Must a school require a student to complete a specific number of lab reports or in a specific form? • No. The requirement is stated in Part 100 regulation (passed 7/1999) as "1200 minutes." This represents a time requirement, not a quantity requirement (i. e., not a particular number of laboratory reports). However, the number of reports should be “reasonable” given the time allocated. • All students must complete satisfactory laboratory reports. The laboratory report format is set at the local level. New Visions for Public Schools

12. How can we insure that all students meet the requirement? • Schedule significantly more than the required 20 hours (1200 minutes) of “hands-on” lab experiences. • Schedule labs as double periods whenever possible. • Require early and on-going guidance intervention for students without sufficient labs. • Use extended day, Saturday Academy, 37 ½ minutes to offer make-up lab experiences. New Visions for Public Schools

13. PARENT NOTIFICATION RECOMMENDED Dear Parent(s) or Guardian(s): The purpose of this letter is to make you aware of the laboratory requirement in your child’s course and in all science courses in New York State subject to testing by the regents examination. Your child must satisfactorily complete and have reports on file proving that he or she has completed ALL laboratory reports and requirements for this course. These laboratory activities must be completed in a satisfactory manner prior to being allowed to take the regents examination. It is easy for your child to meet this requirement if he or she completes his or her labs and files them in the lab folder provided by me for this in a timely fashion. I am requesting your signature in the space provided below in order to confirm that both you and your child are aware of this laboratory requirement. I hope you child has a safe and productive year in this science class. Sincerely yours, ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I am aware that ___________________________ (student name)must meet the laboratory requirement stated in the letter above for this course in order tobe allowed to complete this class and take the regents examination in this course. Student Signature ______________________________ Date ___________ Parent/Guardian Signature ________________________ Date ___________ New Visions for Public Schools

14. Additional Requirements • Living Environment has four required labs: • Relationships and Biodiversity • Making Connections • The Beaks of Finches • Diffusion through a Membrane • Earth Science has a practicum that must given in the month prior to the regents. New Visions for Public Schools

15. How can lab time be monitored? • The SED recommends that teachers of science keep a log of their labs with date completed, minutes to complete, etc. • Student logs can be used to easily ascertain how the time requirement is being met for all students. Provide science teachers with a protocol for maintaining student by student lab files including a summary cover sheet. • A class summary report can be prepared for the principal on a regular basis. • The principal should include labs among the classes routinely observed informally and formally. New Visions for Public Schools

16. What about students who transfer from other schools? • For students who transfer into a school, copies of labs completed by the student, or a letter from the student's teacher or principal stating completion of labs to the date of transfer are acceptable and should also be kept on file for six months. • Beginning in the 2004-2005 school year and thereafter, the principal may exempt a student who enters a registered New York high school for the first time in grade 12 from the requirement for the State Regents examination in science [100.5(d)(5)(iv)(b)].   New Visions for Public Schools

17. Web Links http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/mst/scirg.html (Core Doc) http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/mst/sci.html(Science Page) http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/part100/pages/policyqascience.html(Sci Q & A) http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/pub/pubmst.html(MST Standards) http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/part100/pages/pt100index.htm(Part 100) http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/hsinfogen/hsinfogenarch/alterexams.htm(alternateassessments) http://regentsprep.org/regents.cfm(Exam Prep Center) New Visions for Public Schools

18. TEACHER RESOURCES • http://education.jlab.org/indexpages/activity6.php(hands-on activities) • http://www.osti.gov/sciencelab/teachers.html#class(resources) • http://www.frontiernet.net/~jlkeefer/phys_labs.html(Physics labs) • http://www.chemistrycoach.com/Links%20to%20chemistry_experiments.htm(Chem Labs) • http://teachhealthk12.uthscsa.edu/curriculum.htm(Health Science Curriculum Materials) New Visions for Public Schools