New York State
Testing Program
Educator Guide to the
Regents Examination in
Earth and Space
Sciences
New York State P-12 Learning Standards
June 2024
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
Regents of The University
L
ESTER W. YOUNG, JR., Chancellor, B.S., M.S., Ed.D. .................................... Beechhurst
J
UDITH CHIN, Vice Chancellor B.S., M.S. in Ed. ............................................. Little Neck
R
OGER TILLES, B.A., J.D. ................................................................................. Manhasset
C
HRISTINE D. CEA, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. ............................................................ Staten Island
W
ADE S. NORWOOD, B.A. ............................................................................... Rochester
J
AMES E. COTTRELL, B.S., M.D. ....................................................................... New York
C
ATHERINE COLLINS, R.N., N.P., B.S., M.S. in Ed., Ed.D. ........................... Buffalo
L
UIS O. REYES, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. ................................................................... New York
S
USAN W. MITTLER, B.S., M.S. ....................................................................... Ithaca
F
RANCES G. WILLS, B.A., M.A., M.Ed., C.A.S., Ph.D.................................... Ossining
A
RAMINA VEGA FERRER, B.A., M.S. in Ed., Ph.D. ........................................ Bronx
S
HINO TANIKAWA, B.A., M.S. ........................................................................ Manhattan
R
OGER P. CATANIA, B.A., M.A., M.S., C.A.S., Ph.D. .................................... Saranac Lake
A
DRIAN I. HALE, A.S., B.A. ............................................................................. Rochester
H
ASONI L. PRATTS, B.S., M.P.A. ..................................................................... Brooklyn
P
ATRICK A. MANNION, B.A., M.B.A. ............................................................. Fayetteville
S
EEMA RIVERA, B.A., M.S., Ph.D. ................................................................... Slingerlands
Commissioner of Education and President of The University
B
ETTY A. ROSA, B.A., M.S. in Ed., M.S. in Ed., M.Ed., Ed.D.
Senior Deputy Commissioner, Office of Education Policy
Jeffrey Matteson
Deputy Commissioner, P-12 Operational Support
Jason Harmon
Assistant Commissioner, Office of State Assessment
Zachary Warner
The State Education Department does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, religion, age, sex, military, marital
status, familial status, domestic violence victim status, carrier status, disability, genetic predisposition, sexual orientation, and criminal record in
its recruitment, educational programs, services, and activities. NYSED has adopted a web accessibility policy, and publications designed for
distribution can be made available in an accessible format upon request. Inquiries regarding this policy of nondiscrimination should be directed
to the Office of Human Resources Management, Room 528 EB, Education Building, Albany, New York 12234.
Copyright © 2024 by the New York State Education Department. Permission is hereby granted for school administrators and educators to reproduce these materials, located online on
the NYSED website (https://www.nysed.gov/), in the quantities necessary for their schools’ use, but not for sale, provided copyright notices are retained as they appear in these publications.
2025 Earth and Space Sciences Educator Guide
ii
Table of Contents
Foreword............................................................................................................................................................. 1
New York State Science Regents Examination Testing Program ............................................................... 2
Purpose of State Testing .......................................................................................................................... 2
New York State Educators Involvement in Test Development ............................................................... 2
Required Investigations for the New York State Science Regents Examinations................................... 2
The New York State P-12 Science Learning Standards................................................................................. 3
Dimension 1: Science and Engineering Practices (SEP) .........................................................................3
Dimension 2: Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCI) .......................................................................................... 4
Dimension 3: Crosscutting Concepts (CCC) ........................................................................................... 4
Test Specifications............................................................................................................................................. 5
Claims and Evidence................................................................................................................................ 5
Earth and Space Sciences Claims and Evidence...................................................................................... 5
Performance Level Definitions ................................................................................................................ 9
Performance Level Descriptions.............................................................................................................. 9
Test Design and Administration ..................................................................................................................... 10
Test Blueprint......................................................................................................................................... 10
Test Organization – Question Clusters .................................................................................................. 10
Stimuli.................................................................................................................................................... 11
Question Formats................................................................................................................................... 11
Test Design ............................................................................................................................................ 11
Testing Sessions..................................................................................................................................... 12
Scoring Policies for the Earth and Space Sciences Test ........................................................................ 12
Earth and Space Sciences Reference Tables and Materials................................................................... 12
2025 Earth and Space Sciences Educator Guide
iii
Foreword
The information contained in this Educator Guide is designed to raise educator awareness of the structure
of the
New York State
Regents Examination in Earth and Space
Sciences
measuring the
New York State P-
12 Science Learning Standards
(https://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/programs/standards-
instruction/p-12-science-learning-standards.pdf).
The guide provides educators with pertinent information about the test development process, the learning
standards that
this test
is
designed to measure,
the test specifications
used to create this test, and the test
design,
which includes what types
of
questions
will
be
asked.
Links to additional resources are provided to
further enhance educators’ understanding of the structure of this test. Educators are encouraged to review
the guide prior to
the
test
administration
to
gain
familiarity
with
the
test
format.
The
information
presented
can
also
be
used as
a platform for
educator discussion on how student assessment results can guide future
instruction.
The High School Regents Examination testing schedule for the June 2025 administration can be found on
the New York
State Education Department’s
website
(https://www.nysed.gov/state-assessment/regents-
examination-schedules). Questions regarding
the New
York
State Testing Program
and test design may be
addressed to the Office of State Assessment at emsca[email protected]. Questions regarding the New
York
State
Learning
Standards
may
be
addressed to the Office of
Standards
and Instruction at
[email protected].
2025 Earth and Space Sciences Educator Guide
1
New York State Science Regents Examination Testing Program
Purpose of State Testing
The federal Every Student Succeeds Act (2015) requires students to be assessed at least once on science in
high school. The New York State Regents Examination Testing Program has been designed to measure
science knowledge and skills as defined by the New York State P-12 Science Learning Standards. The
Science Regents Examinations are designed to report student proficiency in one of five performance levels.
Please refer to page 9 of this guide for further information regarding the Performance Level Descriptions.
New York State Educators Involvement in Test Development
While teachers have always been included in the Regents Examination Development Process, the New
York State Education Department (NYSED) continues to expand the number of opportunities for New York
State educators to become involved. This includes writing all the test questions. New York State educators
provide the critical input necessary to ensure that the tests are fair, valid, and appropriate for students through
their participation in many test development activities. The test development process includes the
development, review, and approval of test questions, construction of field and operational test forms, final
approval of test forms prior to administration, the development of scoring materials, and the development
of hands-on performance tasks. NYSED remains committed to improving the quality of the State’s
assessments and the experiences that students have taking these tests. For more information on opportunities
for educators to participate in the test development process, please visit the Test Development Participation
website (https://www.nysed.gov/state-assessment/test-development-participation-opportunities).
Required Investigations for the New York State Science Regents Examinations
The Investigations for Science Regents Examinations have been designed to be hands-on, three-dimensional
learning tasks aligned to the New York State P-12 Science Learning Standards that can be embedded into
curriculum. The Investigations are not a standardized State test; rather they are performance-based tasks that
are a component of the State’s strategy for assessing science. The Investigations will emphasize Performance
Expectations (PEs) not measured at the level of proficiency on the written assessment, thereby ensuring these
PEs are part of instruction. Approximately 15% of the questions on the written test will measure content
related to the Performance Expectations measured by the Investigations. The questions encompassed in the
~15% will not be about the specific Investigation tasks themselves, but the content of the Performance
Expectations (PEs) it is aligned to or related PEs. Other questions will assess scientific practices (SEPs), and
common themes across science (i.e., Crosscutting Concepts) related to the activities undertaken by students in
the Investigations, such as making and using scientific models and identifying patterns. Successful completion
of the Investigations for the course will be required for admission to the Earth and Space Sciences Regents
Examination. The definition of successful completion is left to local discretion. Completion of the
Investigations prepares students for the written test by providing a hands-on opportunity to demonstrate
attainment of science knowledge and skills that also will be assessed on the written test. Scores on the
Investigations will not be reported to the State or included in the students’ final test scores. Additional
information about the required Investigations is available in the Planning For Regents Examinations in Earth
and Space Sciences and Life Science: Biology Investigations memo
(https://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/programs/state-assessment/memo-investigations-regents-exam-
sciences-2024.pdf) and the Investigations for the Regents Examinations in Earth and Space Sciences and Life
Science: Biology Now Available memo (https://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/programs/state-
assessment/memo-availability-science-investigations.pdf).
2025 Earth and Space Sciences Educator Guide
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The New York State P-12 Science Learning Standards
The New York State P-12 Science Learning Standards (NYSP-12SLS) are a series of Performance
Expectations (PEs) that define what students should know and be able to do as a result of their study of
science. The New York State P-12 Science Learning Standards are based on the Framework for K–12
Science Education (the Framework) developed by the National Research Council and the Next Generation
Science Standards. The Framework outlines three dimensions that are needed to provide students with a
high-quality science education. The integration of these three dimensions provides students with a context
for the content of science, how science knowledge is acquired and understood, and how the sciences are
connected through concepts that have universal meaning across the disciplines. These content-rich
standards will serve as a platform for advancing children’s 21st-century science skills, which include
abstract reasoning, collaboration skills, the ability to learn from peers and through technology, and
flexibility as learners in a dynamic learning environment. The implementation of these standards will
provoke dialogue and learning experiences that will allow complex topics and ideas to be explored from
many angles and perspectives. Students are expected to learn how to think and how to solve problems for
which there is no one solution while learning science skills along the way. The integration of the three
dimensions is provided throughout the New York State P-12 Science Learning Standards
(https://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/programs/standards-instruction/p-12-science-learning-
standards.pdf) and are described below.
Dimension 1: Science and Engineering Practices (SEP)
The Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) describe (a) the major practices that scientists employ as
they investigate and build models and theories about the world, and (b) a key set of engineering practices
that engineers use as they design and build systems. The term “practices” is used instead of a term such as
“skills” to emphasize that engaging in scientific investigation requires not only skill but also knowledge
that is specific to each practice.
The eight Science and Engineering Practices mirror the practices of professional scientists and engineers.
The use of SEPs in the Performance Expectations is not only intended to strengthen students’ skills in
using these practices in the classroom, but also to develop students’ understanding of the nature of science
and engineering. Listed below are the eight Science and Engineering Practices from the Framework:
1. Asking questions and defining problems
2. Developing and using models
3. Planning and carrying out investigations
4. Analyzing and interpreting data
5. Using mathematics and computational thinking
6. Constructing explanations and designing solutions
7. Engaging in argument from evidence
8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
Part of the intent in articulating these practices is to better specify what is meant by scientific inquiry and
to identify the range of cognitive, social, and physical practices that it requires. As with all inquiry-based
approaches to science teaching, the expectation is that students will engage in the practices themselves
instead of merely learning about them secondhand. Students cannot fully comprehend scientific practices,
nor fully appreciate the nature of scientific knowledge itself, without directly experiencing those practices
for themselves.
2025 Earth and Space Sciences Educator Guide
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Dimension 2: Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCI)
The continuing expansion of scientific knowledge makes it unrealistic to teach all the ideas related to a
given discipline in exhaustive detail during the K-12 years. Given the vast amount of information available
today, an important role of science education is to endow students with sufficient core knowledge so that
they can acquire additional information on their own. By focusing on a limited set of ideas and practices in
science and engineering, students will learn to evaluate and select reliable sources of scientific information,
allowing them to continue their development well beyond their K-12 school years as science learners, users
of scientific knowledge, and perhaps as producers of such knowledge.
The Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs) are built on the notion of learning as a developmental progression.
They are designed to help children continually build on and revise their knowledge and abilities, starting
from their curiosity about what they see around them and their initial conceptions about how the world
works. The goal is to guide their knowledge toward a more scientifically-based and coherent view of the
natural sciences and engineering, as well as of the ways they are pursued and their results used.
Dimension 3: Crosscutting Concepts (CCC)
The seven Crosscutting Concepts connect core ideas across disciplines and grade bands and give students
an organizational structure to understand the world. They are not intended as additional content. Listed
below are the Crosscutting Concepts from the Framework:
1. Patterns
2. Cause and Effect
3. Scale, Proportion, and Quantity
4. Systems and System Models
5. Energy and Matter in Systems
6. Structure and Function
7. Stability and Change of Systems
The Crosscutting Concepts have application across all domains of science. These Crosscutting Concepts
are not unique to The Framework. They echo many of the unifying concepts and processes in the National
Science Education Standards, the common themes in the Benchmarks for Science Literacy, and the
unifying concepts in the Science College Board Standards for College Success. They also reflect
discussions related to the NSTA Science Anchors project, which emphasizes the need to consider not only
specific disciplinary content but also the ideas and practices that are applicable across all science
disciplines.
2025 Earth and Space Sciences Educator Guide
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Test Specifications
The Science Regents Examinations are rooted in a research-based approach to constructing assessments
called Principled Assessment Design. This approach ensures that evidence gleaned from the assessment, as
well as the interpretations of that evidence, align with and support the intended claims, purposes, and uses
of the assessment. This method helps ensure that all aspects of the assessment are connected and that the
results inform the initial questions/claims. Additionally, Principled Assessment Design allows for
consistent development and administration of tests that are comparable and focus on conceptual and
applied student understanding. This is achieved through the use of Assessment-based Claims and
Assessment-based Evidence. Another essential step of Principled Assessment Design is provided through
the Performance Level Descriptions (PLDs). PLDs provide a structure to build tasks that allow students to
provide/produce evidence to exemplify knowledge and skills across the performance range.
Claims and Evidence
Assessment-based Claims are overarching statements that identify the key things a student should be able
to do at the end of instruction, while Assessment-based Evidence are statements that identify what a
student needs to do/say/produce in order to support the acquisition of a claim. Evidence will operationalize
the claim by merging concepts and skills to help define the specific language choices within the claim. It is
important to recognize that not all combinations of concept and skill will be appropriate given the time and
format constraints of the test, the intended purpose, audience, and complexity (i.e., some PEs will not be
able to be assessed at every level of proficiency).
1
Earth and Space Sciences Claims and Evidence
Claim #1 (Space Systems):
A student can construct a mathematical or computational model to describe explanations and defend
claims about the origin, evolution, and composition of the expanding universe, the production of
electromagnetic energy that is radiated through space, the relative position and motions of Earth in the
solar system, and the observations of cyclic patterns of celestial bodies.
Evidence: A student demonstrates understanding of “space systems” through application, evaluation,
analysis, and/or synthesis using science and engineering practices, core ideas, and crosscutting concepts
related to:
• A model that describes the origin, structure, and motions of celestial bodies within the universe
and identify possible/potential cause and effect for changes in these motions [HS-ESS1-1,
HS-ESS 1-4]
• Evidence of star characteristics and the theory of an expanding universe [HS-ESS1-1,
HS-ESS 1-2]
• Synthesis of matter, the production of electromagnetic radiation, and the effects of matter and
energy throughout space [HS-ESS1-1, HS-ESS1-3, HS-ESS2-4]
• Models that explain the effects of cyclic changes in the Sun-Earth-Moon system [HS-ESS1-4,
HS-ESS 1-7]
1
Although similar in name, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Evidence Statements do not serve the same function
as the Claims and Evidence produced for Earth and Space Sciences.
2025 Earth and Space Sciences Educator Guide
5
Claim #2 (History of Earth):
A student can evaluate evidence from active geologic processes in the rock record, use scientific
reasoning, and apply evidence from other planetary bodies to construct an account of Earth’s formation
and history, and to develop a model that illustrates how both gradual and catastrophic geologic processes
operate at different spatial and temporal scales to change Earth’s geographic features.
Evidence: A student demonstrates understanding of the “history of Earth” through application,
evaluation, analysis, and/or synthesis using science and engineering practices, core ideas, and
crosscutting concepts related to:
• A model that describes geologic features and their formation at or below Earth’s surface
[HS-ESS2-1]
• Patterns of change at different spatial and temporal scales that influence the formation and
destruction of geologic features [HS-ESS1-5 and HS-ESS2-1]
• Scientific reasoning and the application of evidence from Earth and other solar system objects
that explains Earth’s formation, history, and age [HS-ESS1-6]
Claim #3 (Earth’s Systems):
A student can develop models and i nvestigations, analyze data and feedback mechanisms, and construct
arguments based on evidence that demonstrate the coevolution of life with Earth’s changing systems and
the cycling of matter and energy within and between Earth’s systems.
Evidence: A student demonstrates understanding of “Earth’s systems” through application, evaluation,
analysis, and/or synthesis using science and engineering practices, core ideas, and crosscutting concepts
related to:
• The unique characteristics of water and the effects of water on Earth [HS-ESS 2-5]
• Geoscience data that relate to how feedback mechanisms create changes within and between
Earth’s systems [HS-ESS 2-2]
• A model of Earth’s spheres that illustrates the interior and exterior cycling of matter and energy
[HS-ESS 2-3, HS-ESS2-6]
• Current and historical evidence to demonstrate an understanding of causality and correlation
between Earth systems and the biosphere [HS-ESS 2-7]
2025 Earth and Space Sciences Educator Guide
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Claim #4 (Weather and Climate):
A student can analyze and evaluate atmospheric and geoscience data to model and communicate
information that explains how the flow of energy in Earth’s systems influences past, present, and future
changes to Earth’s weather and climate conditions.
Evidence: A student demonstrates understanding of “human sustainability” through application,
evaluation, analysis, and/or synthesis using science and engineering practices, core ideas, and
crosscutting concepts related to:
• A model that describes how changes in Earth’s climate result from variations in energy flow into
and out of Earth’s systems [HS-ESS2-4, HS-ESS3-5]
• An understanding of weather variables and how interactions of these variables result in changes
in Earth’s systems [HS-ESS 2-8, HS-ESS2-4]
• Patterns of past and current weather/climate data that are used to forecast short- and long-term
atmospheric conditions [HS-ESS2-8, HS-ESS3-5]
Claim #5 (Human Sustainability):
A student can construct an evidence-based explanation of human-induced climate change, evaluate
energy usage, create a computational simulation for sustainability, evaluate or refine a technological
solution to reduce human impact, and use a computational representation to illustrate the relationship
between human activity and Earth’s systems.
Evidence: A student demonstrates understanding of “human sustainability” through application,
evaluation, analysis, and/or synthesis using science and engineering practices, core ideas, and
crosscutting concepts related to:
• Evidence that climate change has influenced human activity over time [HS-ESS3-1]
• Relationships between resources used by humans and the impacts on Earth’s systems and climate
[HS-ESS3-2]
• Simulations based on historical and current data that show how responsible energy use can
promote sustainability and biodiversity [HS-ESS3-3]
• Technological solutions that are designed to address the costs and benefits of using natural
resources, while balancing human needs with the mitigation of environmental impacts
[HS-ESS3-4]
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Claim #6 (Engineering Design):
A student can analyze models, including mathematical and computer simulations, that present criteria,
trade-offs, and a range of constraints to design and evaluate a solution that optimizes technological and
engineering practices for the management of systems, societal needs, environmental impacts, and real-
world problems.
Evidence: A student demonstrates understanding of “engineering design” through application,
evaluation, analysis, and/or synthesis using science and engineering practices, core ideas, and
crosscutting concepts related to:
• Students collected data, models, and simulations that identify, describe, and solve real-world
problems designed to balance societal needs with societal wants while attempting to reduce
impacts. [HS-ETS1-2, HS-ETS1-4]
• Solutions to global challenges that meet criteria, require trade-offs, and are limited by constraints
as illustrated by various types of models (computer, simulations, engineering). (HS-ETS 1-1,
HS-ETS1-3)
2025 Earth and Space Sciences Educator Guide
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Performance Level Definitions
For each subject area, students perform along a continuum of the knowledge and skills necessary to meet the
demands of the Learning Standards for Science. There are students who meet the expectations of the standards
with distinction, students who fully meet the expectations, students who minimally meet the expectations,
students who partially meet the expectations, and students who do not demonstrate sufficient knowledge or
skills required for any performance level. New York State assessments are designed to classify student
performance into one of five levels based on the knowledge and skills the student has demonstrated.
These performance levels for the Science Regents Examinations are defined as:
NYS Level 5
Students performing at this level meet the expectations of the Science Learning Standards with distinction for
Earth and Space Sciences.
NYS Level 4
Students performing at this level fully meet the expectations of the Science Learning Standards for Earth and
Space Sciences. They are likely prepared to succeed in the next level of coursework.
NYS Level 3
Students performing at this level minimally meet the expectations of the Science Learning Standards for Earth
and Space Sciences. They meet the content area requirements for a Regents diploma but may need additional
support to succeed in the next level of coursework.
NYS Level 2
Students performing at this level partially meet the expectations of the Science Learning Standards for Earth
and Space Sciences. Students with disabilities performing at this level meet the content area requirements for a
local diploma but may need additional support to succeed in the next level of coursework.
NYS Level 1
Students performing at this level demonstrate knowledge, skills, and practices embodied by the Science
Learning Standards for Earth and Space Sciences below that of Level 2.
Performance Level Descriptions
Performance Level Descriptions exemplify the knowledge and skills students at each performance level
demonstrate and describe the progression of learning within a subject area. The Performance Level
Descriptions play a central role in the test development process, specifically question writing and standard
setting. For information about the New York State P-12 Science Learning Standards Performance Level
Descriptions for Earth and Space Sciences, please see the Earth and Space Sciences Performance Level
Descriptions (https://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/programs/state-assessment/earth-space-sciences-pld.pdf).
2025 Earth and Space Sciences Educator Guide
9
Test Design and Administration
Test Blueprint
The table below illustrates the test blueprint percent ranges for each topic in Earth and Space Sciences
(ESS). All questions on the 2025 Earth and Space Sciences Test measure the New York State P-12 Science
Learning Standards. All the Performance Expectations (PEs) within the learning standards are connected
to the Scientific and Engineering Practices (SEPs), Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs), and Crosscutting
Concepts (CCCs).) Therefore, every question on the Earth and Space Sciences Test will draw from all three
dimensions (SEPs, DCIs, CCCs) in requiring students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.
Topic-level Operational Test Blueprint—Percent Ranges for ESS
Space Systems
History of
Earth
Earth’s
Systems
Weather &
Climate
Human
Sustainability
Engineering,
Technology, and
the Applications
of Science
2
20-31 %
11-20 %
20-31 % 11-20 % 20-31 % 3-9 %
Test Organization – Question Clusters
All questions on the Science Regents Examinations are organized into clusters of questions that follow an
assessment storyline. An assessment storyline provides a coherent path toward building Science and
Engineering Practices, Disciplinary Core Ideas, and Crosscutting Concepts attached to a phenomenon. In
question clusters, each question that is answered may add to the developing explanation, model, or design
solution. The group of questions in a cluster follow a theme or storyline grounded in a phenomenon that is
focused on an anchor Performance Expectation. However, questions that address other related Performance
Expectations can also be included in the cluster.
Question clusters include an introduction (which informs students of how many questions are a part of the
cluster), multiple stimuli (reading passages, data tables, graphs, diagrams, photos, etc.), and questions that
draw on one or more of the stimuli. The questions within the cluster will include multiple-choice and
constructed-response questions. There will be variation in the number of questions that make up each cluster
depending upon the assessment storyline; as a result, there may be slight variation in the total number of exam
questions (see Test Design below).
To preview several question clusters, go to the Earth and Space Sciences Question Sampler
(https://www.nysed.gov/state-assessment/earth-and-space-sciences).
2
In addition to questions directly aligned to the Engineering, Technology, and the Applications of Science (ETS) domain, ETS
skills and concepts can also be assessed through questions aligned to Earth and Space Sciences.
2025 Earth and Space Sciences Educator Guide
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Stimuli
The number of stimuli and the scale of real-world source material on the Regents Examination in Earth and
Space Sciences will likely be greater than what students have experienced on prior Science Regents Exams.
Each cluster will include multiple stimuli that are associated with several questions. Stimuli can include reading
passages, data tables, graphs, diagrams, and photos. These stimuli provide students with an interesting and
relatable setting that drives the progression of the assessment storyline. Stimuli are scientifically accurate and
use real data when applicable. These come from vetted sources and are appropriate to the level being tested.
Question Formats
The Earth and Space Sciences Test contains 1-credit multiple-choice questions and 1-credit constructed-
response questions. For multiple-choice questions, students select the response that best completes the
statement or answers the question from four answer choices. For the constructed-response questions, students
record their answer or answers to an open-ended question.
Test Design
The chart below illustrates the test design for the 2025 Earth and Space Sciences Test. Approximately 60
percent of each test will be comprised of multiple-choice questions, while approximately 40 percent will be
constructed-response questions. There will be variation in the number of questions that make up each cluster,
and as a result the total number of questions for each test will vary (see Test Organization - Question
Clusters above).
Earth and Space Sciences Test Design
Number of
Question
Clusters
Total Number
of Questions
9-11 45-55
2025 Earth and Space Sciences Educator Guide
11
Testing Sessions
The Regents Examination in Earth and Space Sciences will be administered during the designated time
determined by NYSED. Students are permitted three hours to complete the Regents Examination in Earth
and Space Sciences. The tests must be administered under standard conditions and the directions must be
followed carefully. The same test administration procedures must be used with all students so that valid
inferences can be drawn from the test results.
NYSED devotes great attention to the security and integrity of the New York State Testing Program.
School administrators and teachers involved in the administration of State assessments are responsible for
understanding and adhering to the instructions set forth in the School Administrator’s Manual and
Teacher’s Directions when released. For more detailed information about test administration, including
proper procedures for proctoring, please refer to the School Administrator’s Manual and the Teacher’s
Directions.
Scoring Policies for the Earth and Space Sciences Test
The general procedures to be followed in scoring Regents Examinations are provided in the publications
Directions for Administering Regents Examinations (DET 541) and the School Administrator’s Manual.
Both of these documents will be available on the Department’s website prior to the administration of the
exam. For more information, see the Information Booklet for Scoring the Regents Examinations for
Sciences, the Directions for Administering Regents Examinations, the Scoring Key and Rating Guides for
the appropriate examination.
Earth and Space Sciences Reference Tables and Materials
The Earth and Space Sciences test requires the use of a reference table that is provided on the Department’s
website. It contains information that students are expected to be able to locate and apply, but not necessarily
memorize. Teachers should use the reference table in instruction throughout the Earth and Space Sciences
course to familiarize students with its content. The Department does not provide printed copies of the regular
or translated-edition reference tables. Schools are required to use the online versions to print sufficient copies
to supply one clean copy to each student during the administration of the examination. A Braille version of the
ESSRT will be available through NYSED by placing a request for needed copies via
[email protected] .
Each student must be provided with a four-function or scientific calculator for their exclusive use during the
entire examination. Students are not permitted to use graphing calculators when taking this examination.
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