Keep Regents

New York has been a national leader in raising educational standards. An essential part of that has been the long-established Regents tests to earn a high school diploma. But now the state Board of Regents is considering a shortsighted measure to save money by eliminating most of the tests, a move that would reverse years of progress.

Before the Regents on Monday was a proposal to cut as many as 13 of the 17 tests next year, including all foreign language, social studies, global history, geography, U.S. history and government exams. It would also eliminate three out of the four Regents exams in science and two out of three for math.

Students have to pass five of the exams in order to graduate. To receive an advanced diploma, they must pass seven of the tests.

The Education Department would also stop printing the tests in other languages such as Korean, Russian and Chinese. Exams would still be given in Spanish. Tests would no longer be given in January or August.

The tests are among the many exams students are given through elementary and secondary grades to measure their progress and to determine whether they are comprehending subject matter. In taking the required tests, students have to be exposed to and master specific concepts and material.

Without the tests, individual school districts would have to administer their own, which could be less rigorous than statewide exams. It would erode statewide standards.

The intent of the proposed cut is to save more than $13 million in test-preparation costs. That's in the face of a $9 billion state deficit in the next fiscal year.

An Education Department official said the test was one of various options to reduce costs.

Abandoning the Regents tests now could lead to lowering standards when the rest of the nation is being prodded by the federal Education Department to improve schools in a "Race to the Top." The Regents and Education Department need to look elsewhere to save money.