Big Apple kids will get their third crack at the statewide Common Core exams in the next two weeks.
Will they do better?
Last year, only 34.5 percent of city students in grades 3 to 8 passed the math exams, and 29.4 percent passed in reading and writing. Overall, officials said, the scores inched up slightly from the first year of the tougher tests.
The high-stakes exams are meant to measure whether students are meeting the Common Core standards, adopted by New York and 44 other states. They spell out the academic skills all kids should gain from kindergarten to 12th grade — ideally, so they graduate "college or career ready."
The grueling exams demand critical thinking.
As educators, it is our obligation to make sure we hold all students to high standards and equip them with the skills necessary to succeed… - Chancellor Carmen Fariña, in a message to principals
In three days of English Language Arts tests next week, students will have to read and understand texts, and write out answers, including brief essays, as well as answer multiple-choice questions. The math exams require students to take several steps to get the right answer, and in some cases to explain in writing how they solved a complex problem.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has upped the ante. He wants 50 percent of a teacher's evaluation to depend on student test scores. A law passed by the Legislature last month does not set a percentage, but leaves it up to the state Education Department to decide.
His mandate has sparked outrage among some educators and parents who contend the standardized tests are a flawed measure of learning.
On last year's tests, The Post has revealed, state officials quietly lowered the number of right answers kids needed to pass six of the 12 exams. They also erased the results of three third-grade questions, including an essay, after 5 percent to 6 percent of students didn't get to them, and the results of a seventh-grade multiple-choice question because the answer was unclear.
Photo: Getty Images
Advocacy groups predict that thousands of parents will "opt out" of the exams for their kids.
Students who don't take the tests will be allowed to read or study instead, and can be judged on their classroom work, says the city Department of Education.
Before last week's spring break, Chancellor Carmen Fariña sent principals a message underscoring her support of the exams, and urged them to "maintain a sense of calm and focus" for the kids.
Photo: Gabriella Bass
"As educators, it is our obligation to make sure we hold all students to high standards and equip them with the skills necessary to succeed in the face of all types of challenges in life, including taking tests," Fariña wrote.
Photo: Gabriella Bass
The scores count, the DOE says. They factor into placements of kids in fourth- and fifth-grade Gifted and Talented programs. Most importantly, they influence admission to the best middle schools and high schools — many which favor students with scores of 3 or 4 , the highest levels.
Fariña added, "Our students' accomplishments cannot be reduced to a single test." Under the law, DOE promotion policies use "multiple measures" to assess student progress, she said.
In June, high school students will take Regents algebra and English exams that incorporate Common Core standards, but they need not overly fret. The Class of 2022 — those who start ninth grade in the fall of 2018 — will be the first required to pass the Regents exams with "college- and career-ready" scores: 75 in ELA and 80 in math. Until then, kids can still graduate with a minimum 65 score.
The scores will also test Fariña's vow to help teachers and schools gird for the challenges.
"I believe our emphasis on teacher training around Common Core strategies has prepared our students well for these exams," she said.
Parents, too, can help their children learn. The Post has compiled a summary of the Common Core standards at each grade level, plus sample questions and classroom assignments used in city schools. Here's a taste of what students need to know to crack the Core.
Common Core test schedule
Grades K-2:
Students in these grades learn Common Core skills but do not take state exams. Teachers test at their own discretion.
Photo: Getty Images
Tests for each grade consist of three "books" over three days. On Day 1, students read literary and informational passages, then answer multiple-choice questions. On Day 2, students read passages, answer multiple-choice questions, and write short and extended answers. Day 3 is all written responses.
- Tuesday, April 14: Book 1
- Wednesday, April 15: Book 2
- Thursday, April 16: Book 3
- Makeup dates: Friday, April 17, to Tuesday, April 21
Grades 3-8 Mathematics exams:
The math tests are given in three sessions over three days. Books 1 and 2 ask multiple-choice questions. Book 3 requires students to explain in writing how they solved math problems.
- Wednesday, April 22: Book 1
- Thursday, April 23: Book 2
- Friday, April 24: Book 3
- Makeup dates: Monday, April 27, to Wednesday, April 29
Photo: Getty Images
The Regents exams in ELA, Algebra I, and Geometry have incorporated the Common Core standards. The Common Core Geometry exam will be given for the first time in June.
Students who first entered Grade 9 prior to the 2013-14 school year can still take the old Regents English exam instead of the new Common Core ELA exam. Students who began classes in Common Core Algebra I before September 2014 can take in addition, if a school permits, the old Integrated Algebra exam. The highest of their two scores will count.
Regents exams will be given June 2-25 and Aug. 12-13.
Additional Resources for All Grades
Get examples of Common Core-aligned lessons/tasks used in city schools for pre-K through 12th grade in English, math, social studies and science here.
Get sample questions used for grades 3 to 8 from the 2013 and 2014 ELA and math exams — annotated to show correct answers here.
Get parent guides to the Common Core standards here.
Find Regents Common Core ELA exams given in 2014 and January 2015, with scoring keys here.
Find Regents Common Core Algebra I exams given in 2014 and January 2015, with scoring keys here.
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