Eduardo Antonetti contrasts Regents teaching with Internationals performance assessment

Esteemed Chair Denowitz and members of the Committee on Education, my name is Eduardo Antonetti.

I am Senior Director of Advancement and Advocacy for International Network, but today I would like to share my testimony from my perspective as a longtime educator.

I started my career as a proud New York City public school teacher about 30 years ago at Brooklyn International High School.

Since then, I've worked in four school districts in New York and Pennsylvania as a teacher, school administrator, and district leader.

I have the unique perspective of having

helped develop and implement international performance-based assessment system, including graduation portfolios, and also having taught global history regions courses and scoring regions exams at a traditional near-state school.

Whereas the Regents forced me to fly through a one-size-fits-all curriculum, teach a decade or more of history per 44-minute class,

skip time-intensive projects that promote deep learning, and teach to the test, the International's approach instead allowed me to tailor the curriculum and instruction to best meet students'diverse learning needs.

International's performance-based assessment system allowed me to challenge students to engage in academically rigorous activities, to demonstrate their learning in meaningful and authentic ways, and to reflect upon and have real ownership of their learning.

I mentored small groups of seniors as their graduation portfolio advisor and got to know them well so I could provide individualized support as they work towards academic excellence.

Working with my colleagues at Internationals, we develop rubrics, guidelines, and best practices that are strongly aligned with the Portrait of a Graduate framework.

The Portrait of a Graduate should not be reduced to just decoupling from the region's exams or simply hiring a college and career coordinator.

It is an opportunity to transform public education in New York City, and Internationals Network and our affinity partners stand ready to provide support for this initiative because the education and futures of New York City students are at stake.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

And last on this panel.

All right.