Students at the five high schools of the Sewanhaka Central High School District have been consistently showing strong results in Regents and Advanced Placement exams in recent years, according to district administators.
“We clearly are across the board in good standing,” said Cheryl Champ, Sewanhaka assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, during a presentation at last Thursday night’s Sewanhaka Board of Education meeting.
Champ said the results were similar among each of the district’s five schools – New Hyde Park Memorial High School, Floral Park Memorial High School, Sewanhaka High School, H. Frank Carey High School and Elmont Memorial High School.
“It’s always interesting to me with five diverse schools you’re going to see similar results,” she said.
Champ said in the June 2012 Regents exams at New Hyde Park Memorial, 300 students of the 323 who took the English exam passed, 318 of 330 who took the chemistry exam passed, 200 of 215 taking algebra 2/trigonometry exams passed, 215 taking integrated algebra passed from among 283 who took the exam and 262 students of 274 who took the global history exam passed.
“New Hyde Park clearly has some of the most consistent results in any of the buildings in the Regents and the Advanced Regents,” Champ said.
Advanced Regents results in English, integrated algebra, earth science or living environment, global history and U.S. history all showed consistent passing rates of 95 percent or higher among New Hyde Park Memorial students taking those tests from 2010 through 2012, she said.
Results for students taking physics exams dropped slightly in 2011, but rebounded strongly in 2012 test scores.
In AP test results among New Hyde Park Memorial students, 100 percent of students taking the AP chemistry test achieved results of 3,4 or 5 – results indicating passing or better – while 95 percent of those taking the biology test also achieved those scores, along with 92 percent of students taking the AP English language composition exam. A total of 714 New Hyde Park Memorial students took AP exams last May, with 83 percent achieving score of 3,4 or 5 on the tests.
“We’re opening the door a little wider, but that’s the sort of chance we want to take,” Champ said.
Current school district standards require students to maintain an 85 percent classroom performance level to be eligible for an AP course in a particular subject. But a strong desire to take an AP course and a teacher’s recommendation for that course are also factored in to a student’s eligibility.
Champ said principals at all five district high schools are encouraging students to take AP courses.
“Those students exposed to more rigorous course work are better prepared for college,” Champ said.
Champ noted that state assessment tests were showing upwards trends in mathematics test scores in all five high schools, with test results in English language arts consistent, but not showing the same improvement as math scores.
She said new state standards for classroom performance currently classify averages of 89 or better demonstrating mastery of a subject and 75 to 89 indicating proficiency. Previously, and average of 85 or higher showed mastery by state metrics, with 65 to 84 showing proficiency.
Reach reporter Richard Tedesco by e-mail at rtedesco@theislandnow.com or by phone at 516.307.1045 x204. Also follow us on Twitter @theislandnow1 and Facebook at facebook.com/theislandnow.
