Test Information

The ELA Regents is administered in January, June, and August of every year. Students may take the exam more than once if needed to meet graduation requirements.

The English Language Arts Regents is divided into three parts that test-takers will have three hours to complete. This exam contains 85 questions in total.

Part I: Reading Comprehension
This part of the exam requires close reading of two to three texts and will contain at least one literature and one informational text, followed by 24 multiple-choice questions.

Part II: Writing from Sources: Argument
This part of the exam includes close reading of four to five texts, with an emphasis on informational texts and may contain graphics or one literary text. Students will compose an essay of argument with a claim based on the sources.

Part III: Text Analysis
Students will perform a close reading of one informational or literary text and write a two- to three-paragraph response that identifies a central idea in the text and analyzes how the author’s use of one writing strategy develops that central idea.

WEIGHTING OF PARTS

Each part of the ELA Regents has a number of raw score credits associated with the questions/tasks within that part. To ensure an appropriate distribution of credits across the test, each part is weighted.

For Part I, each multiple-choice question is worth 1 point. The Part II essay is scored on a 6-point rubric then weighted × 4. The Part III Text Analysis is scored on a 4-point rubric and then weighted × 2.

As you can see, the Part II Argument Essay is the most heavily weighted section.

The table below shows the raw score credits, weighting factor, and weighted score credits for each part of the test. This information will be used to determine your scale score (final exam score) through the use of a conversion chart provided by the State Education Department.

Scoring Rubrics for the ELA Regents

Parts II and III of the ELA Regents are scored using holistic rubrics. Part II is scored using a six-credit rubric, and Part III is scored using a four-credit rubric. Both rubrics reflect the demands called for by the Common Core Learning Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy through the end of Grade 11.

Content and Analysis: The extent to which the response conveys complex ideas and information clearly and accurately in order to respond to the task and support an analysis of the text.

Command of Evidence: The extent to which the response presents evidence from the provided text to support analysis.

Coherence, Organization, and Style: The extent to which the response logically organizes complex ideas, concepts, and information using formal style and precise language.

Control of Conventions: The extent to which the response demonstrates command of conventions of standard English grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.