Recent data indicates that students from Long Island are excelling in math and English beyond the average performance of their peers across New York State, while those in New York City public schools seem to be facing challenges.
Last year, over 85 percent of the 37,000 students in Nassau and Suffolk counties passed the English Regents exam, which is 10 percentage points higher than the state average. Meanwhile, nearly 70 percent succeeded in the new Algebra Regents, surpassing the state benchmark of 56 percent, according to figures from the state Department of Education.
In stark contrast, more than 121,000 public school students in New York City are struggling, with only 48% passing the Algebra Regents and just 68% passing the English exams. A large portion of students in both subjects scored at Level 3, indicating the most basic comprehension, which represents a slight decrease compared to the previous year.
On Long Island, the pass rates for exams remained stable, yet there was a notable 10% year-over-year decrease in students achieving the highest scores on the UK Regents, similar to the 8% drop observed in New York City, as reported by state data.
Bob Vecchio, Executive Director of the Nassau-Suffolk School Board, highlighted this fall as a significant deviation from previous standards.
The share of students achieving a Level 5 score, marking the highest honors, in Long Island fell from 53% to just over 43% from the previous academic year. In New York City, that percentage dropped from 30% to 22%.
Additionally, the number of school districts on Long Island where at least 90% of students passed also declined, from 61 to 51 out of 99 districts reporting results. Interestingly, districts serving high-need populations were among those most affected. For example, while 99% of students in Cold Spring Harbor passed the UK Regents, just under 60% of students in Wyandanch did.
A similar trend was noted in New York City, where wealthier districts tended to achieve better results academically. Vecchio noted that this decline in high-level performance reflects a nationwide pattern, particularly in schools serving higher-need communities that often lack sufficient funding and resources.
He attributed the decline to multiple factors, including the long-lasting effects of COVID-19 on student development, new state standards for graduation and testing, and shifting student priorities.
Looking ahead, with the transition to a multiple-choice format for state Regents exams scheduled for 2027, Vecchio pointed out that educators may be less focused on these tests, shifting their attention instead towards broader educational areas.
“This is a transformative time for students,” Vecchio remarked.
He went on to explain that as ninth graders progress to being seniors, taking the Regents exam will become optional, which could diminish its importance for many high school students compared to past generations. Vecchio emphasized that a student’s graduation status might be a more crucial indicator of their success.
Despite the dip in top performers, however, children in grades three through eight on Long Island recorded a 7.5 percent rise in English proficiency over the previous year. This increase was similar to that of students in New York City and suggests a shift in focus among older students, as noted by Vecchio.
It’s worth mentioning that year-over-year comparisons for Algebra I scores could not be made due to the introduction of a new version of the test in June 2024, rendering past results incompatible.
