State teachers union blasts biology, earth science regents exams

The New York State teachers union recently confirmed complaints from students, parents, and educators regarding the new biology and earth science regents exams. Many criticized the tests for not aligning with the materials students had studied in class, instead focusing on topics like geology and chemistry that were not part of the curriculum.

NYSUT President Melinda Person expressed concerns about the exams, stating that when tests do not align with the standards, it creates confusion and undermines confidence among students and educators. The new exams, “Life Science: Biology” and “Earth and Space Science,” replaced the previous exams, “Living Environment” and “Physical Setting/Earth Science.”

Some educators shared their frustrations with the exams, with one anonymous educator describing the earth science exam as “truly traumatic.” Students struggled to complete the tests, with some feeling overwhelmed by the unexpected content and heavy reading load.

One teacher mentioned that multiple students in their accelerated class could not finish the biology exam, attributing it to the excessive reading required. Another teacher who proctored the earth science exam noted that students took the full three hours to complete it, a rare occurrence in their experience.

Students also took to social media, particularly TikTok, to voice their frustrations about the exams not reflecting what they had studied. Many expressed disbelief at the questions on the tests, with some questioning the relevance of topics like erosion and sand dunes over fundamental biology concepts.

However, David C. Bloomfield, an education professor, suggested that the outrage over the tests might be misplaced. He explained that the testing culture often leads to feelings of betrayal when exams deviate from the expected curriculum. Bloomfield emphasized that the system is designed for students to perform well on exams to make everyone look good, leading to perceptions of unfairness when students are not fully prepared.

Despite the criticisms, the Board of Regents did not provide a comment on the matter. The discrepancies in the new biology and earth science regents exams have raised concerns among students, parents, and educators about the fairness and relevance of standardized testing in New York State.