This semester, New York State will introduce a new structure for Regents examinations in chemistry and physics that address the New York State P-12 Science Learning Standards. The new exams will feature questions in “clusters” that focus on specific topics in contrast to past exams which predominantly had singular questions without themes.

According to an Educator Guide released by the NY State Education Department, “The group of questions in a cluster follow a theme or storyline grounded in a phenomenon that is focused on an anchor Performance Expectation.”

Assistant Principal of STEM Abid Choudhury said these question clusters make literacy a more important component of the exams than they were before. “The goal for the state is to make sure that they’re increasing literacy in each individual subject, because in the modern workplace, being able to interpret is much more important than just being able to regurgitate and to know the content,” he said.

Various science teachers said they have been using some sample materials provided by the state to prepare students for the exams in June. One of the sample clusters provided by the state provides a brief text describing bungee jumping (along with some images) and then goes on to ask three to six questions related to the physics of bungee jumping.

In addition to the changes involving more reading than past years, “[the new regents will not be] exclusively content-focused, so there’s a lot more interpreting data, [and] reading passages that have scientific information,” said Mr. Choudhury.

Some teachers said they felt unprepared for the new changes to science regents. “We did not receive any training… but I spent hours over the summer and early in the year [looking at materials provided by the state],” said chemistry and earth science teacher Adel Kadamani.

Physics teacher Micheal Quach said, “I think they tried their best [to provide us with enough materials]. I wish there was more, but I’m very appreciative of what we have so far. I’m very confident that in the months and years to come that we’ll get more resources.”

Though the state has provided samples of these cluster questions, there are not samples for each unit of material covered on the exams. “It’s difficult because we don’t have a ton of sample clusters that we could determine what we want each cluster to look like,” Mr. Choudhury said. “So even if we were to make several clusters, it would really be a shot in the dark of whether our clusters are all wholly accurate or not.”

Mr. Choudhury said teachers in the department are taking the changes “in stride” and students appear to be doing the same.

“From September, I started showing the students the state exams, the state sample questions, and I started making them [so they] become [more] familiar with the questions,” said Mr. Kadamani.

“I would say [the change] hasn’t really challenged me… I’m a little indifferent,” sophomore Haley Shin said. “I’ve gotten practice tests in that format with clusters [for physics], … I’ve also been offered extra help, and office hours, and multiple sources of encouragement, and plenty of communication. I think I’ve been pretty well prepared.”

On the other hand, some students said that despite their preparation, they wish for more practice materials. Sophomore Isabella Cruz said, “I have been preparing for the regents by looking at past ones, and trying to understand all of the chemistry material. I think my teacher gives a good amount of practice questions to help prepare students periodically, but personally I would like more.”

Mr. Choudhury said he is confident that students will find success with the new exams. “I don’t think it’s going to have a significant effect on student outcomes, because our teachers really have gone above and beyond to try to meet the demands of the new standards,” he said.