N.Y. Educators’ Role in Test Book Probed
The state Board of Regents began an investigation Friday of a board member and a state Education Department employee who wrote a guidebook designed to help students pass a regents-required examination.
A statement issued by board Vice Chancellor R. Carlos Carballada said a four-member regents committee would investigate circumstances surrounding publication of the book and any possibility of a conflict of interest.
The guidebook, designed to improve student performance on the new social studies evaluation test required of all sixth-graders, was written by Regent Louise Matteoni and Renee Levitt, an associate in reading education in the Education Department.
State Education Commissioner Thomas Sobol said he was investigating Levitt’s role in the development of the book, which is published by Scribner Laidlaw.
A brochure from the publisher promoting the book says it “offers test-taking practice in multiple-choice formats, identical to those on the New York State Program Evaluation Test.”
The Board of Regents sets education policy for the state. Board members, elected by the state Legislature, serve without salary.
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