Greetings!
A Regents gap is defined as any of the Regents exam categories (e.g. math, plus one, second science) not currently planned that a student needs to fulfill by year-end to be on-track to graduate with the planned diploma type. Regents gaps can be addressed by scheduling a student for a Regents exam in the upcoming administration or creating a plan for when the student will attempt the exam in future administrations. Multiple different exams may address a Regents gap.
This article will explain the process for using the Regents features of the Portal in order to identify specific areas where students have gaps and how to make a plan to close those gaps.
Please don't hesitate to reach out to us directly at schoolsupport@newvisions.org for assistance.
Overview
Set School Regents metrics
The goal of setting Regents metrics is to record the school’s general exam programming sequence so that students who are behind in needed exams are flagged by the Portal.
In order to set the Regents metrics, go to Settings > Regents Metrics
When setting Regents metrics, check the box under the year by which a student is meant to pass a given exam. Exams should only be checked if the expectation is that all students in a particular cohort should be held accountable for that particular exam.
Identifying and Closing Regents Gaps in the Portal
Planning ahead for Regents exams includes both planning early within the term and planning forward for upcoming administrations. Planning Regents exams early ensures that schools have time to carefully consider each student’s pathways and to communicate early with students about plans. Early planning is also important to ensure schools can provide preparatory opportunities that provide students with the best chance to pass needed exams. Planning forward for upcoming administrations ensures that schools are making real the grad plan set for each student; in circumstances where students are planned to graduate in June, it is clear which exams will be attempted in which administration. Recording Regents plans in the Portal enables multiple staff in a school to weigh in during decision-making, understand plans after they are set, and be responsive in next term course planning. There are multiple pathways for closing a gap within the Portal.
Through the school dashboard
Dashboard > On Track In Regents > 2022
This list displays all students in the 2022 cohort according to the number of exams they are missing (On track, 1 Regent behind, 2-3 Regents behind, 4+ Regents behind)
Selecting a student who has a Regents gap will take you to their profile, where you can follow the instructions below
This process can be repeated for all cohorts from the On Track In Regents mid level graph
Through the data grid
Select "Data Grid" along the left side of the Portal
Select current view, click on the dropdown to see Template views > Regents
Users can examine multiple columns to filter for relevant groups
Class allows you to examine only specific cohorts of students
On Track in Regents for Diploma allows you to filter out students who are "On Track" to get a list of students with Regents gaps
With the list of students filtered, to examine a group of students individually, "Batch Actions" can be selected from the top, all students can be selected with the top checkbox, and "View Profiles" can be selected to go to the profiles for identified students
Once in an individual profile, the instructions below can be followed
Through the student profile
Clicking on any student's name takes you to their profile
The Regents panel will give a detailed breakdown of where a student stands in regards to each required area. The tiles displayed correspond to the graduation plan in place for a student (Regents / Local diploma displays five tiles, Advanced Regents displays nine)
Red tiles indicate a Regents Gap that needs to be addressed in an upcoming administration
Within profiles, individual exams may be removed or rescheduled for future administrations. Click the dropdown under “Next Admin Plan” to either drop the exam or to select a future date
Identifying students in need of Regents prep courses
The Portal also helps make you aware of students who are scheduled to sit for an exam but are not in a preparatory course:
Select "Regents prep" along the left side of the Portal
Specific steps throughout the Regents prep wizard allow you to create additional prep activities, assign students to those preps, review conflicts with times exams are offered, and print reports for students and families that highlight when scheduled exams are offered as well as preps a student is enrolled in.
Upload plans to STARS
Regents Planning > Step 11 - Generate Regents schedules export for STARS > Generate STARS export
Open Student Schedule File Edit (not shown in image)
In the “Student Programming” menu of STARS Client, under “Update Schedules, ” select “Student Schedule File Edit”
Select file
In the “Upload” (green) section, click “Select file to Upload”. Then select the file containing the pending course adds and drops
Upload file.
Click the upload icon