The function of public education is to impart skills that citizens need every day, including creativity, critical thinking and the ability to connect with each other. These are skills that standardized tests can’t measure, yet students’ successes are instead often defined by these exams that measure their ability to retain arcane facts rather than apply skills.  With the rise of intentional misinformation, skills such as media literacy and critical thinking are more important than ever. Being able to properly discern what is true and what is false is crucial to making informed decisions based on facts and logic instead of emotions and distorted narratives. However, schools are not teaching these skills sufficiently because of the over-emphasis on standardized testing.  The New York State Blue Ribbon Commission on Graduation Measures recently presented a plan to decouple Regents exams from high school diplomas, which now awaits approval from the Board of Regents. This is an opportunity to expand what it means to be educated in New York State to include college, career and community readiness. One joy of learning is pushing past conventional boundaries to discover a new world of possibilities. But the demands of standardized testing and a one-size-fits-all curriculum stifles students’ chances to develop the skills that our communities and our businesses need. When done correctly, students can leave high school as responsible young adults who understand themselves and the world around them, and are ready to contribute to society. When the purpose of a school is for students to pass a test in June, students’ hunger for problem-solving skills isn’t being fed, and in the future of work it is creativity and collaboration that will have value. That future will be here sooner than we think, and we will need to produce graduates unafraid of failure and willing to take initiative.  A 2020 survey by the Reboot Foundation found that 55% of teachers felt that “the emphasis on standardized testing has made it more difficult to incorporate critical thinking instruction in the classroom.” Similarly, the Center for Media Literacy at Stony Brook University states, “The ability of the next generations of citizens to judge the reliability and relevance of information will be a leading indicator of the public health of civil societies around the world.” These skills are more important than high test scores, they are the pillars on which to build a smart and successful community. One’s ability to succeed in the real world will not be limited to the ability to achieve high test scores. Here’s what also counts: how one communicates with people, controls one’s emotions, builds relationships and makes decisions. A recent Intelligent.com survey showed that 58% of employers said that recent college graduates are unprepared for the workforce because of a lack of professionalism, entitlement and poor communications skills. Social-emotional learning (SEL) programs promote these skills. The developmental process in which young people and adults “learn the skills to support healthy development and relationships” is essential for teaching people how to thrive in a post-secondary and employment setting. Some may argue that time on these programs may take away from “real” schoolwork, but it has been proven that these programs do not reduce academic rigor; instead they enhance academic outcomes. All students should graduate with the ability to make good choices, resolve conflict and understand the emotions of others and themselves.  If the motion to no longer require students to pass the Regents to graduate passes, it would mean that New York State students are fully prepared to not only survive, but thrive, in a post-graduation setting, whether that’s at college, in a career or within their community. The proposed alternative will have students demonstrate their knowledge in key competencies such as effective communication, critical thinking and emotional awareness. These are all aspects of learning that my colleagues and I have implemented at the 22 Urban Assembly schools across New York City. The various career-themed schools offer students opportunities to develop their thinking skills, their social-emotional skills and their civic skills so they succeed when they walk out our doors. Public schools are society’s investment in its young people. They should be expected to be educated holistically so that they can begin living as discerning and responsible adults after they cross the graduation stage. It is time we protect this investment by rethinking what truly educating young people and preparing them for the real world looks like, and re-envisioning an education system that emphasizes only the next level of school rather than applying those skills for life.  Adams is the CEO of Urban Assembly.