Welcome to 2026! It’s January on Long Island. The holidays are behind us, winter break is a fading memory, and Midterm exams are looming. While June might feel like it’s ages away, any experienced teacher (or parent of a high schooler) knows that the second half of the school year flies by. At Long Island […]
Welcome to 2026!
It’s January on Long Island. The holidays are behind us, winter break is a fading memory, and Midterm exams are looming. While June might feel like it’s ages away, any experienced teacher (or parent of a high schooler) knows that the second half of the school year flies by.
At Long Island Regents Prep, we have spent the winter preparing for what promises to be a unique and challenging testing season for New York students.
If you have a student taking a Science course this year, this is the blog post you need to read.
The Big Change: The 2026 Science Regents
For years, the NYS Regents curriculum has remained relatively static. That changes this June.
June 2026 marks the full transition year for the new New York State Science Learning Standards (NYSSLS). This means the exams for Biology, Earth Science, Chemistry, and Physics are changing significantly.
These new exams are less about rote memorization of facts and more about analyzing data, understanding systems, and applying scientific concepts to real-world scenarios. Students who try to study using only old review books or 5-year-old past Regents exams may find themselves unprepared for the style of questions they will face in June.
We Are Ready.
As active classroom teachers, the instructors at Long Island Regents Prep have been on the front lines of this transition. We haven’t just updated our review materials; we have completely overhauled them to align with the new standards.
Whether your student is taking the new Life Science: Biology or the new Physical Science: Chemistry, our one-day intensive reviews at Farmingdale State College will focus specifically on the new question formats and required skills.
Note: Because this is a transition year, some schools are still offering the “Traditional” versions of certain exams. Our 2026 Schedule clearly lists review sessions for both New and Traditional formats.
Don’t Forget the APs
While the Regents changes are grabbing headlines, Advanced Placement (AP) exams remain as rigorous as ever. With AP exams taking place in early May, students really only have about three months left to master college-level material.
Our AP review courses (including AP US History, Government, and more) are designed to condense a year’s worth of complex material into a single, high-impact day of review, focusing on the specific writing skills (DBQs, LEQs) needed to score a 4 or 5.
What Should Students Do Now (In January)?
We don’t recommend panic-studying in January. Burnout is real. However, we do recommend getting organized:
Gather Midterm Materials: The studying done now for midterms is the foundation for final exams. Don’t toss those notes in February!
Check the Schedule: Look at the official school calendar. When are the APs? When is that specific science Regents?
Secure Your Review Spot when our Schedule goes Live: Because of the anxiety surrounding the new science exams, we anticipate those review sessions at Farmingdale will fill up faster than usual this year.
Here’s to a successful, confident, and prepared 2026!
