New York teenagers will no longer need to pass Regents exams in order to receive their high school diploma under a new plan unveiled by the state Education Department Monday.
The education department plans to scrap the requirement that students need to pass five Regent exams to graduate high school — but will continue to administer the tests as an option for students to “demonstrate their proficiency in meeting the State’s learning standards.”
The department presented its proposal at Monday’s Board of Regents meeting based on recommendations from a special commission of students, parents, educators, researchers and community leaders.
The “NYS Blue Ribbon Commission on Graduation Measures” was formed in 2019 as part of the Board of Regents and Education Department’s initiative to reimagine “what a New York State diploma should signify.”
The commission’s main goals were to create true equity in the public school system and to ensure all New York students learn the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed both in school and after.
In November 2023, the commission shared its findings and recommendations, which became the basis for the education department’s plan released on Monday.
Education Commissioner Betty Rosa said the new plan was developed largely from the input of public school students and their families.
“The bold vision we are advancing today is a direct result of countless hours of collaborative work from an incredibly diverse group of expert practitioners and the public,” Rosa said in a statement. “The educational transformation we envision reflects the thoughtful input we received from our stakeholders – particularly from public school students and their families.
“It takes an incredible amount of time, work, and collaborative effort to transform an education system, and we will not stop working until we get the job done right for all New Yorkers.”
In place of the three-hour Regents exams requirements, the Education Department proposed creating a “portrait of a graduate” metric that assesses students’ success as “critical thinkers, innovative problem solvers, literate across all content areas, culturally competent, socially-emotionally competent, effective communicators, and global citizens.”
Before the plan is officially adopted, the education department will host a series of public forums to gather feedback on the proposed changes between July and October 2024.
The following month, in November 2024, the department will present an implementation plan and timeline for its proposal to the Board of Regents which must then approve any changes to New York’s graduation requirements before they are officially implemented.
