Education

New paths to graduation

JULIE LANE PHOTO | Academic Administrator Jennifer Rylott is still seeking answers from the state about the rollout of the expanded diploma options.
JULIE LANE PHOTO |
Academic Administrator Jennifer Rylott is still seeking answers from the state about the rollout of the expanded diploma options.

When Academic Administrator Jennifer Rylott rolled out a new diploma system for Board of Education members last week, she noted she had submitted questions to the State Education Department about implementation.

Ms. Rylott has yet to get a response and that’s why she advised the Board and parents that the new system isn’t something that will be reflected in diplomas the class of 2015 receives in June. Nor will it be ready for the class of 2016.

Ms. Rylott and other educators throughout the state hope the new diplomas will capture the interests of some students, encouraging them to stay in school to get credentials opening a path to specialty studies in specific areas that interest them.

While the Board of Regents has laid out the complex system of obtaining specialty diplomas, it has yet to set up testing for students to demonstrate their proficiencies.

Students will still be required to take courses in English, social studies, math, foreign languages, arts, health and physical education plus electives. But while some will still choose time-honored path, taking five Regents exams in math, English, science, global history and United States history, others will have the option of taking four of those Regents and a fifth in a specialty area they have pursued, likely through a BOCES program, Ms. Rylott said.

Among the options are an emphasis on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math); the humanities; the arts; and career and technical education spanning such areas as nursing, animal science, auto mechanics, marine technology and aviation.

But to qualify for a Regents diploma with a seal in one of the speciality areas requires not only completing necessary coursework, but passing a Regents exam in the field, Ms. Rylott said.

What she likes about the specialty seals is they provide students a leg up whether they’re pursuing higher education in a specific area or looking to immediately join the workforce after high school.

“That’s what’s great about the idea,” Ms. Rylott said. But she’s still cautiously awaiting the rollout to see if what’s proposed works as expected.

As with the other Regents tests, a high score on these tests will determine whether a student graduates with honors. That means completing all the minimum course credit requirements and achieving a computed average score of 90 or better on all five Regents exams, including the one in the specialty area.

Similarly, students who continue to follow the traditional Regents exam path would receive a diploma with advanced designation denoting a mastery in math or science if test scores on each of three exams are at 85 or better.

The new system provides local diplomas for students with a “individualized education program” or “504 plans” — students with disabilities who can participate in the general education curriculum while provided with specific accommodations and services necessary to learning.

Students with an IEP or classified in the 504 category can earn a local diploma by completing 22 credits in English language arts, social studies, math, foreign language, health and physical education with 3.5 credits in electives. To earn the diploma they must pass five Regents tests, adjusted to their level.

The non-diploma credential is available to students with severe disabilities who are able to complete 216 hours in career and technical education coursework and an employability profile. These students are eligible to return to the school to try to complete a diploma program until they are 21 years old, Ms. Rylott said.

Waiting for more answers from the state on the rollout of the new diploma program, Ms. Rylott is encouraging parents to visit the school website for an overview of the changes, including a short video describing some of the alternative programs open to students interested in specializing in one of the technical areas.

The information appears on the website at edline.net/pages/ShelterIsland_UFSD. Click on the tab for offices and then the tab for academic office and diploma types will be listed.