This document provides information about the New York State Regents Examination in English Language Arts (Common Core). It discusses the structure and content of the exam, including three parts that assess reading comprehension, writing from sources, and text analysis. It also addresses who takes the exam, how it is graded, requirements for graduation, options for retaking the exam, and resources for preparing for the exam.

1. ResourcesOverview
Educator guide to the 2014 regents
examination in English language arts
(Common core). (n.d.). EngageNY. Retrieved
September 12, 2014, from
https://www.engageny.org/file/17336/dow
nload/english_language_arts_common_core
_test_guide.pdf
General information. (n.d.). NYSED.gov.
Retrieved September 13, 2014, from
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/assessment/sam
/secondary/section1-13rev.pdf
Information booklet for scoring the regents
examination in English language arts (common
core). (n.d.). Retrieved September 13, 2014,
from
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/assessment/hsg
en/2014/541cce-14.pdf
Regents adjust common core implementation.
(2014). NYSED.gov. Retrieved September 28,
2014, from
http://www.nysed.gov/press/regents-
adjust-common-core-implementation
Regents exams: ELA. (n.d.). EngageNY.
Retrieved September 12, 2014, from
https://www.engageny.org/resource/regent
s-exams-ela
Transition to common core regents
examinations in English language arts and
mathematics. (n.d.). NYSED.gov. Retrieved
September 13, 2014, from
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/assessment/co
mmoncore/transitionccregents1113rev.pdf
• Students in seventh, eighth, and
eleventh grade will take
standardized tests for English
Language Arts. This brochure
discusses the Regents Exam for
grade 11 only.
•The High School English Language
Arts (Common Core) Regents exam
was designed by New York state
educators to measure student
literacy skills and is based on the
Common Core Learning Standards
for grades 11-12 (and some from 9-
10). As of 2022 it will replace the
current Comprehensive English
Regents exam that students are
required to take and pass.
•It is expected that students will
take the exam during their junior
year of high school.
•Students must pass the Regents
exam to receive their high school
diploma.

2. What is on the Common Core test?
There are three parts on the Common
Core Regents Exam, based on the
common core standards for 11th grade:
Part 1: Reading Comprehension
Students will read 3 texts and answer 24
multiple choice questions. 1 literature
text, 1 poem, 1 informational text.
Part 2: Writing from Sources: Argument
Students will close read 4 informational
texts and write a source-based argument.
Part 3: Text Analysis: Exposition
Students will close read 1 text (either
literature or informational) and write a 2-3
paragraph expository response that
identifies the central idea.
What happens if a student
fails the exam?
In order for a student to graduate from
high school and earn a high school
diploma, s/he must pass the English,
mathematics, U.S. history and
government, science, and global history
and geography state exams . If a student
fails the exam, it must be re-taken until a
passing grade of 65 is achieved. For some
students with IEPs and 504s, a lower
passing grade may be established.
For more information about the
English Language Arts Comprehensive and
Common Core Regents Exams,
visit www.engageny.org or www.nysed.org
How long is the testing?
The test is 3-hours in length for both the
comprehensive and common core exams.
For the Common Core exam, part 1 is
allotted 60 minutes; part 2 is allotted 90
minutes; and part 3 is allotted 30 minutes.
What is on the Comprehensive test?
There are 4 parts on the Comprehensive
Regents Exam:
Part 1: Listening
Students listen to a passage read aloud
twice and answer 8 multiple choice
questions about the passage. Students are
allowed to take notes during the second
reading.
Part 2: Reading Comprehension
Students will read two passages and then
answer 6 multiple choice questions about
each.
Part 3: Reading Passages and Responses
Students read two passages (typically a
short story and a poem) and answer 2-3
multiple choice questions about each.
Then they write short responses based on
the passages to two questions, asking
them to write about the controlling idea
and showing how a specific literary
element is used in one of the passages.
Part 4: Critical Lens Essay
Students read a Critical Lens and then
write an essay including two works of
literature that exemplify the lens.
Who takes the exam?
New York students take the High School
English Language Arts Regents exam at
the end of eleventh grade. The class of
2022 will be the first class to be required
to pass the Common Core exam. All other
students are required to take and pass the
comprehensive exam.
When is it given?
The English Regents exam is offered in
January, June and August of each year.
Each school will determine when the
exam will be offered. All schools must
offer the exam in June.
How can I prepare for the exam?
Students will learn and polish the skills
necessary in their ELA courses starting in
9th grade. For additional practice, previous
versions of both exams are available on
the NYSED website at
www.nysedregents.org/regents_ela.html
How is it graded and who grades it?
The test is graded by trained teachers and
administrators. For the multiple choice
section, answers are graded with a
machine; for the two writing sections of
the test, grading is based on a 6-point
rubric, outlining what to look for to
receive a 1-6 score in each section:
content and analysis; command of
evidence; coherence, organization, and
style; and control of conventions.