SHARE

State Board Of Regents Makes Push To Emphasize Career Training

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- The New York State Board of Regents approved new regulations on Monday, Oct. 20, that will allow students to meet graduation requirements in more specific career tracks.

The New York State Department of Education recently passed new regulations that will allow students to meet graduation requirements in more specific career tracks.

The New York State Department of Education recently passed new regulations that will allow students to meet graduation requirements in more specific career tracks.

Photo Credit: Flickr user Timlewisnm

The tracks would be career and technical education (CTE); science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM); the arts; biliteracy (languages other than English); and the humanities.

Regents Chancellor Merryl H. Tisch said the goals of the new options are to improve the state’s 74.9 percent graduation rate and increase the number of students who are prepared for college upon graduation. 

“These new pathways to graduation will give students confidence, competence, and a real choice,” Tisch said in a statement. “All students deserve an education that prepares them for success in college, careers, and life.

"Today’s action by the Board of Regents will encourage students to pursue CTE programs that can give them the skills and knowledge they need in our changing economy.  They will also encourage school districts to expand and invest in high-quality programs in career and technical education, the Arts, STEM , humanities, and languages other than English (LOTE), while ensuring that students are still held to challenging, rigorous standards.”

Currently, students are required to pass five Regents exams in high school in order to graduate – one each in English, science, math, as well as the U.S history and the global studies and geography exams. 

The regulations that were just passed include a “4+1” option that permits a student to take four Regents exams and a comparably rigorous technical, arts, or other assessment for the fifth examination required for graduation. The 4+1 option would apply beginning with students who first entered ninth grade in or after September 2011.

Click here to watch a video on the new regulations.

to follow Daily Voice Putnam and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE