As the new semester continues at Thomas A. Edison CTE High School, students are once again preparing for Regents week. For many, this means retaking exams they previously did not pass, adding pressure to an already demanding school year.
Students and teachers agree that preparation, support systems, and access to resources play a key role in students’ success during this time.
Many students report spending extra time studying outside of class. Elyssa Burrell, junior, shared that she has been studying at the library to prepare for the Global Regents retake.
“I feel hopeful that I’m going to pass,” Burrell said. She mentioned that her family and friends have been her biggest source of support leading up to her exam day, January 22nd.
Other students described feeling more anxious about their retakes. Michelle Maipaul, junior, is preparing to retake the Earth Science Regents. She explained that she has been watching videos and reviewing old Regents exams and worksheets. Despite these efforts, she admitted feeling overwhelmed and anxious.
“I’m kind of stressed because I think I might fail again,” Maipaul said. She added that her friends and family have encouraged her to keep pushing herself and reminded her that it is better to take the exam now than to put it off.
“I think it’s unnecessary for me to retake the Geometry Regents considering that I wasn’t placed in a Geometry class this year and I know I’m going to do horrible on it,” said Analia Solis, a sophomore.
She added that she didn’t study or prepare for the exam because she feels like the material is unfamiliar and taking the test without proper instruction puts her at a disadvantage.
“Well, I’m taking the living environment class again so I’m doing practice worksheets that are given. I’ve been going to Saturday tutoring here at Edison,” said Malayah Stephens, a junior. She is scheduled to take her Regents January 20th and is currently retaking a Living Environment class this past semester. She explains she’s more prepared this time around because she didn’t study the first time she took it. “My teacher helped me by doing one-on-one work which makes me feel supported. I’m more prepared this time because the first time I was in a living environment I didn’t study at all.” Stephens also added that she feels nervous but is prepared for next week.
For seniors, the stakes are even higher. Chelsea Ramsaran, a senior, said she anticipated needing to retake the Algebra 2 Regents and spoke to her guidance counselor ahead of time. “I was expecting it since I failed last year and I told my guidance counselor that I wanted to retake it,” Ramsaran said. She has been studying by completing practice tests and reviewing old worksheets. Ramsaran expressed concern about graduating without an advanced Regents diploma, explaining that she has only passed two math Regents and needs three in order to achieve that.
Many students are using different study techniques to prepare for Regents week. Common methods include reviewing past Regents exams, creating study guides, watching instructional videos, and attending tutoring. Some students study in groups and quiz each other and some prefer to study independently in quieter spaces such as the library. Teachers recommend focusing on weaker areas and practicing timed tests to build confidence and test-taking skills.
Teachers are working to support students as much as possible during this time. “Students have finals and they are more focused on passing the class instead of the Regents. I was able to tutor on Saturdays and I told my students to come practice topics,” said Mr. Pena, an Algebra 1 and Pre Algebra 2 teacher. To help, he has offered Saturday tutoring sessions, provided video Ed-puzzles, and given extra credit to those who have completed review work.
“All assignments and all lessons are directed towards Regents concepts. There is full support with visual and writing assignments,” said Mr. Sultana, Earth Science teacher. “The Regents have recently changed and it’s very much more directed towards the ability of students to review graphs, tables, pictures and short readings so that they need to take the information and meld it together into a concise answer.” He noted that the Regents have changed in recent years, placing a much stronger emphasis on reading, writing, and data analysis skills.
Mr. Sultana points out that students who actively seek help have benefited the most. “We rely a lot on the students themselves to look for support,” he said, adding that recent Saturday tutoring sessions have been helpful for many.
“It feels like a lot of pressure, but everyone is just doing the best they can with the time we have,” said sophomore, Analia Solis.
