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Earth science is a NY state requirement and considered a high school credit, though it's often taught on the honors level in 8th grade (and occasionally dissed as a science on college discussion boards. To me, a science is a science is a science).
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Actually I can tell you for a fact that it's not a requirement as none of the honors science students in our system take it. We do Regent's Bio in 8th grade instead. </p>
<p>The requirement for a regular Regents diploma is three years of science of which least one year covers life science and one covers a physical science and passing one Regent's science exam. For an advanced Regents diploma designation you also take three years of science, but you have to pass two Regents exams - one in life science and one in a physical science (Earth science, chem and physics all count.)</p>
<p>^^^ Wow - where have I been? Definitely under the wrong impression all these years - thanks, mathmom, for setting me straight. In our school system, there's no way around taking earth science, which is always referred to as a "requirement." The honors/accelerated students take it in 8th grade, and the regular track students take it in 9th - but everybody takes it. I must just have presumed it was state-mandated, because I was naive enough to think that our school system would have no reason for tacking on an extra layer of required courses. (blushing foolishly)</p>
<p>I agree with Mathmom, that Earth Science is not required in NYS (although my D did take it and pass the regents in 8th grade). However in some high schools some students may be encouraged to take earth science depending on how well they do on the living environment regents. I do think that there is some "informal" tracking in high schools. </p>
<p>In my D's high school almost all of the students had taken ES and passed the regents in 8th grade so their science progression was bio, chem, physics and the corresponding regents. After the completion of the physics regents depending on the science grades, regents scores, and overall GPA students could take AP Chem, AP Physics, an Honors Science or a Science elective.</p>
<p>At the high school where I currently work (large NYC public, title I, title III), all students take living environment and the regents freshman year (meeting the 1 year of life sciences requirement). Depending on how well they do in the course, the regents, and overall gpa some students take earth science while other students go on to chemistry in the 10th grade as they know that the bio, chem, physics route may not be the best route for all students.</p>