Sen. Flanagan hopeful for Regents exams

The Long Island state senator newly named point man on education predicts Albany will find a way to continue most high school Regents exams, despite a cash crunch that threatens their existence.

However, state Sen. John Flanagan (R-East Northport), who earlier this week was appointed chairman of the Senate's education committee, considers it unlikely that state tests already canceled for elementary and middle-school students can be restored.

"We have to re-examine everything we do," Flanagan told dozens of school foreign-language supervisors attending a Hauppauge conference Friday. The 49-year-old lawmaker also noted the state faces a multibillion-dollar budget deficit.

Francesco Fratto, a spokesman for the Island's foreign-language supervisors who sponsored the conference, said his group appreciated Flanagan's stated support of foreign-language studies.

But Fratto added that his group remains worried that the state, which has already eliminated eighth-grade foreign-language tests, will follow up next year by cutting Regents exams in Spanish, French and Italian.

"If we don't hold their feet to the fire, we could see our programs disappear," said Fratto, who is director of foreign-language programs in the Half Hollow Hills school district.

Brian Dowd, co-president of the Long Island Council for the Social Studies, also welcomed Flanagan's support for continuation of most Regents exams. But Dowd expressed distress over prospects that the state's recent cancellation of tests in fifth- and eighth-grade social studies will become permanent.

"I don't know if people have even bothered to see what good tests those are," said Dowd, who is lead administrator for social studies in the Massapequa school district.

State education officials first raised the specter of eliminating most Regents exams last March but later amended their position, saying they might instead charge districts $5.93 per student to continue testing. Those officials add that they must obtain $15 million from lawmakers to avoid canceling exams or charging fees next year.

On the issue of fees, Flanagan said in a phone interview Thursday there might be "other ways" to address the financial concerns of state education authorities. The senator added he didn't want to discuss details until he talked to department officials in meetings scheduled for Tuesday.

Sisa Moyo, a spokeswoman for the Assembly's Democratic majority, said Friday her chamber also recognizes, in regard to the state budget, that "there will be difficult choices to be made." She added that restoring the state's financial stability will be a top priority.