Navigating the New York State Regents Requirements: A Comprehensive Guide

The New York State Regents Examinations are a cornerstone of the state's education system, playing a significant role in determining high school graduation. These standardized exams, developed and administered by the New York State Education Department (NYSED), assess students' knowledge and skills in core subjects. Understanding the requirements surrounding these exams is crucial for students, parents, and educators alike.

The Evolution of Regents Examinations

The Regents Examinations have a long history in New York, dating back to 1866. Initially, there were only five exams: algebra, Latin, American History, natural philosophy (science), and natural geography. Over time, the system expanded to cover a wider range of subjects, reflecting changes in the high school curriculum.

Historical Milestones

1878: The Regents Examination system expanded to assess the curricula taught in secondary schools of New York, and the Regents exams were first administered as high school end-of-course exams.
1879: The State Education Department expanded the Regents Exams offerings to forty-two tests.
1920s-1930s: Vocational education Regents Exams were approved and administered.
1970: The number and types of Regents Exams changed to reflect the changes in high school curriculum.
1979: Regents Competency Tests (RCTs) were introduced for all students.
2005: The Board of Regents began modifying the mathematics curriculum.
2008: The format of the laboratory practical for Earth Science was changed.
2010-2011: Several foreign language exams were removed.
2011: The English Language Arts exam was reduced from a six-hour exam to a three-hour exam.
2014-2015: The Regents exams in English Language Arts, Algebra I, and Geometry were changed to incorporate the Common Core Standards.
2017: The Board of Regents approved changes to the Global History and Geography exam.
2020-2022: Several Regents exams were not administered as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
2021: The board of regents also voted for a plan to allow scores of at least 50 become passing starting 2021 and ending 2023.
2023: Schools in New York City were no longer required to send their students' Regents examinations to another location for scoring; instead, they could be graded in-house.

The Structure of Regents Exams

Most Regents exams consist of a single three-hour testing period. The Earth Science exam includes a laboratory component, the Earth Science lab practical, given separately. The Chemistry, Earth Science, and Physics examinations are part of the "Physical Setting" of science, but these exams are being renamed and modified to align with the NYS Next Generation Learning Standards (NGLS).

Diploma Requirements: Avenues to Graduation

In New York State, students have multiple pathways to meet high school graduation requirements, each with its own coursework and exam criteria. These options cater to diverse student needs and aspirations, preparing them for various post-graduation opportunities. Fonda-Fultonville, for example, offers several diploma types, including the New York Regents and New York Advanced Regents diplomas. Fonda-Fultonville’s graduation rate is typically above 90 percent. Fonda-Fultonville offers the following diploma types: Individualized Education Plan, Local, New York Regents, New York Advanced Regents, and the FFCS Comprehensive District Diploma (CDD).

Regents Diploma

To earn a Regents Diploma, students need to complete a total of 22 credits and pass five Regents exams.

The specific credit requirements are as follows:

English: 4 units/credits
Social Studies: 4 units/credits
Science (Living Environment and Physical Science): 3 units/credits
Math: 3 units/credits
Physical Education: 2 units/credits
Visual, Music, Performance Arts: 1 unit/credit
Foreign Language … Language Other Than English (LOTE): 1 unit/credit
Health: .5 unit/credit
Electives: 3.5 unit/credits
Service Learning … a District requirement: 30 hours total

Regents exams are given in English, US History, Global History, Mathematics, and Science. Students who complete all tests with an average score of 90% or higher may be awarded a Regents diploma with Honors. A passing grade is 65% or higher.

Advanced Regents Diploma

For students seeking a more rigorous academic path, the Advanced Regents Diploma requires the completion of 22 credits and passing a minimum of eight Regents exams.

The credit requirements for the Advanced Regents Diploma are:

English: 4 units/credits
Social Studies: 4 units/credits
Science (Living Environment and Physical Science): 3 units/credits
Math ( Algebra, Geometry, Algebra 2/ Trigonometry): 3 units/credits
Physical Education: 2 units/credits
Visual, Music, Performance Arts: 1 unit/credit
Foreign Language … Language Other Than English (LOTE): 3 units/credit
Health: .5 unit/credit
Electives: 3.5 units/credits
Service Learning … a District requirement: 30 hours total

Students must pass two extra exams in Mathematics and one extra exam in Science. They must also complete two extra class units of a Foreign Language, unless the state substitution is used.

FFCS Comprehensive District Diploma (CDD)

Comprehensive diploma requires a total of 28 credits which includes 4 credits in both Math and Science, 3 credits in Foreign Language or an appropriate sequence as required by NYSED for the Advanced Regents diploma and 3 credits of Community Service (credits awarded for completion of 300 hours of service.

Local Diploma Options

Students in New York state have four different ways they can meet high school graduation requirements. Each graduation option requires different coursework and related exams - and each option helps prepare students for a variety of future educational and career opportunities. There are five local diploma options for general education students, students with disabilities and English language learners. All students can appeal up to two Regents exam scores that fall below but within a certain point range of the 65 passing score to earn a local diploma.

Safety Nets for Students with Disabilities

Recognizing the unique challenges faced by students with disabilities, NYSED provides several safety net options to facilitate their graduation.

55-64 Low-Pass Safety Net with Appeal Option: Available to students with disabilities with an individualized education program (IEP) or if included on the student’s Section 504 accommodation plan. A student must pass one or more of the required Regents exams (math, science, English language arts or social studies) with a score between 55 and 64. Non-Regents exams, such as NYSED-approved alternative assessments or Regents Competency Tests (RCTs), cannot be used in this option. Through the appeal, the student is seeking waiver of the graduation assessment requirement in the academic subject area under appeal. The appeal can be initiated by a student’s parent/guardian or teacher and must be submitted to the school principal.
Superintendent Determination: Available to students with disabilities with IEPs (does not include students with Section 504 accommodation plans). A superintendent’s or principal’s determination that a student has met the standards for graduation despite an inability to demonstrate this proficiency through the assessment required for graduation. This process can only be started when a parent or guardian sends a written request for this determination to the student’s school principal or committee on special education (CSE) chairperson. The student and parent must receive written notice of the superintendent’s determination and a completed Superintendent Determination of Graduation with a Local Diploma form (updated by NYSED in January 2018). If a superintendent determines a student does meet the requirements for graduation, the district must inform the student and parents in writing that the student will no longer be eligible for a free appropriate public education after graduation.
A student must pass three required Regents exams with a score of 65 or better; one Regents exam with a score of 60-64 and the English language arts Regents exam with a score of 55-59.

Alternative Diplomas: Individualized Education Program (IEP)

Students with disabilities that preclude the successful completion of the standard New York high school diploma requirements can earn an Individualized Education Program (IEP) diploma. Standards for IEP diplomas are designed for each student according to his or her needs. IEP students who take and pass the Regents examinations may earn a local diploma.

A student identified as having a disability which adversely affects the ability to learn a language may be exempted from the LOTE requirements if the student's IEP states that such requirements are not appropriate.

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Skills and Achievement Commencement Credential

Students who earn this credential have severe disabilities and have attended school for 12 years. Students who earn this credential are considered ready for entry-level employment after high school. Requirements: All students with severe disabilities who attend school for at least 12 years, excluding kindergarten, leave school with this credential.

Additional Graduation Pathways

In addition, a student must earn an additional two units of credit in a language other than English (LOTE) or a five-unit sequence in the arts or career and technical education (CTE). A New York State Education Department (NYSED)-approved arts assessment (arts pathway). A NYSED-approved foreign language assessment (LOTE/bi-literacy pathway). A NYSED-approved CTE assessment (CTE pathway). A sixth 4+1 graduation pathway is the career development occupational studies (CDOS) pathway.

Appeals Process

Students can appeal one score that falls below but within five points of the 65 passing score to earn a Regents diploma.

Regents Exam Scoring and Interpretation

The scores reported for regents exams are not a sum or percentage of questions answered correctly. Instead, raw scores on the tests are converted on a curve to the officially reported scale scores. This curve is customized to each year's group of tests.

NYSED considers a score of 75 to 80 to indicate college readiness, with a score of 75 to 85 being a minimum for admission to some selective colleges and universities and a score below 75 being a threshold for placement in remediation for some schools, including SUNY and CUNY schools.

Special Appeals

In May 2022, the Regents announced a special appeal for the following examination periods: June 2022, August 2022, January 2023, June 2023, or August 2023. Students may also appeal one Regents examination in the score band of 60-64 and graduate with a Regents diploma. They must meet the appeal requirements. Advanced and Honors designations are available for exemplary students.

The Future of Regents Exams

There has been serious discussion in New York about the cancellation of the Regents exams. In the fall of 2019, the Board of Regents opened a commission to potentially eliminate the exams as a high school graduation requirement.

Proposed Changes

New York students will no longer be required to pass Regents exams to earn a diploma beginning in the 2027-28 school year.
Students will continue taking Regents exams in Math, English, and science, but they will not be required to earn passing scores to get a diploma.
The state will move toward a single diploma with opportunities to earn special seals and endorsements, such as for civics, biliteracy, or excelling on the Regents exams.
Schools should also begin to offer new graduation pathways during the 2027-28 school year, which can include capstone projects, community service, work-based learning experiences, and more, state officials said.
Schools across the state will face new mandates to teach students about financial literacy and the climate.
To graduate from high school under the new standards, New York students will have to demonstrate proficiency in seven key areas: critical thinking, effective communication, cultural and social-emotional competences, innovative problem solving, literacy across content areas, and status as a “global citizen.”

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