Regents eliminate social studies tests, as expected

As expected, state Regents voted unanimously yesterday to save costs during the next school year by eliminating fifth- and eighth-grade social-studies tests.

In addition, Regents agreed to cut additional tests, unless lawmakers add another $7 million to the state budget to cover costs. Extra cuts would include all eighth-grade foreign-language proficiency tests, and all high school Regents exams in foreign languages except Spanish and French.

State education officials said they were forced to make cuts, due to shrinking federal and state financial support and to rising costs of federally-required English and math tests. Social-studies educators objected that cuts would result in less teaching of history and government.