Could Your Teen Graduate in New York Without Passing Regents Exams?
A lot has changed since I graduated from high school in New York almost 30 years ago, and this might be the biggest change yet. I almost didn’t make it through my own Regents. I froze on the math section and stared at the page, unable to think of a single answer. I couldn’t have told you what two plus two equals. I had to retake the test, and I’m glad I got that chance, because back then, not passing meant not graduating.
If you have a teenager in school right now, the year they graduate could decide whether a Regents score ever puts them in that spot. Under the state’s NY Inspires plan, students graduating in January 2028 or later would no longer have to pass Regents exams to earn a diploma. Removing the passing requirement still needs final regulatory approval, and current graduation requirements stay in effect until then.
New York Graduation Year Decides Which Regents Rules Apply
If your teen is set to graduate in June 2027, the current rules still apply. The class of 2027 is the last group required to pass Regents exams under the state’s current timeline, and this year’s seniors are the last who must pass them to earn a diploma. January 2028 would be the first graduation under the new approach.
For 25 years, New York students have had to pass five Regents exams to graduate. The Board of Regents voted in September to move that requirement out of the picture. One bad morning with a math test would have meant something very different for a student graduating under these new rules.
New York Regents Exams Students Would Still Take
Passing would no longer be required, but the tests are not going away. High schools will still administer the exams to meet federal requirements, and students will need to take one exam in English language arts, math, science, and social studies. Having lived through a retake, I know how heavily a single score can weigh on a student, so it stands out that these scores would no longer decide a diploma.
State officials said the results would not appear on student transcripts or affect whether a student earns a diploma. During the transition, schools and districts would keep flexibility on when students take the exams and which ones they take.
Federal law requires high school testing in math, English, and science, but it does not require Regents exams specifically. New York uses the Regents to meet that rule and also includes social studies in its accountability plan. Those accountability calculations would stay consistent during the transition, using each student’s highest valid Regents scores in the four core subjects. Students could also use their results to earn seals and endorsements that recognize academic achievement. The state’s target for a new assessment system is spring 2030.
New York Would Replace Three Diplomas With One
Right now, students can earn a standard Regents diploma or one with advanced designation, and a local diploma is an option for students with lower exam scores. Under the plan, students graduating in 2028 and beyond would earn one New York State High School Diploma. Advanced designation would become an endorsement students can add on top of that diploma.
SEE ALSO: Southern Tier Schools: See How They Ranked on Regents Exams
New York High School Graduation Requirements Still Taking Shape
State officials have not yet spelled out what will replace Regents exams as a graduation requirement. The ideas they have described include hands-on projects and work-based learning. I can see how a student who freezes on a test could show what they know through a project instead.
The new competency-based requirements are still being developed, and implementation has been pushed back to students entering ninth grade in the 2029-30 school year. Those students would be the first to receive transcripts documenting their proficiency in the skills listed in the state’s Portrait of a Graduate.