Physical Setting/Physics
June 2002 - June 2003 Conversion Charts
THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234
James A. Kadamus, Deputy Commissioner
Office for Elementary, Middle, Secondary and Continuing Education
Room 875 EBA, Albany, New York 12234, Phone: (518) 474-5915, Fax: (518) 486-2233
Date: January 9, 2004
To: District Superintendents of Schools, Superintendents of Public Schools, and Administrators of Nonpublic and Charter Schools
From: James A. Kadamus
RE: Revised Conversion Charts for the June 2002 through June 2003 Regents Examinations in Physical Setting/Physics
At its October 2003 meeting, the Board of Regents accepted the policy recommendation of the Regents Work Group on Physics concerning future examinations. Accordingly, in November 2003, the Department organized a standard setting panel of 27 New York State teachers and other professionals to set new passing (65) and passing with distinction (85) scores in accordance with the Board’s directive to redefine the Regents physics course as a "first-level" high school course in physics comparable to other "first-level" high school sciences.
After the standard setting process, the Department, in consultation with psychometric contractors, established the new conversion charts for the June and August 2002 and January and June 2003 examinations. The conversion charts are attached (Attachments A – D). These charts will also be sent to all high school principals in a mailing from the Office of State Assessment, scheduled to go out the week of January 12.
Schools are required to record the revised score on each student’s permanent record. However, schools have discretion in how they apply these scores for previous transcripts, final course grades and class rank. For students who graduated in 2002 and 2003, schools may, if they prefer, record the revised test scores as pass/fail.
If you have questions about anything in this memorandum, you may send them to emscassessinfo@mail.nysed.gov.
Attachments: