Full Breakdown
New York Board of Regents Moves to Eliminate Regents Exams for High-School Diplomas
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Decision
The New York State Board of Regents approved a plan to end the requirement that students pass a series of Regents examinations to earn a high-school diploma. Current seniors will be the final cohort obligated to clear the exams; students graduating beginning in 2028 will no longer need to meet that threshold, although the tests will remain available. The vote starts a year-long process to develop alternative assessments and to consolidate the state’s three diploma categories into a single diploma.
Background and Policy Context
New York has required students to pass at least four Regents exams—math, English Language Arts, science and Global Studies—to graduate. The change is part of the “NY Inspires” initiative launched in 2019, which seeks to replace the three-tier diploma system with a unified diploma and a competency-based “Portrait of a Graduate” model emphasizing critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, civic responsibility and self-reflection.
Data and Projected Timeline
- Current requirement: seniors must pass at least four Regents exams.
- Implementation schedule: Guidance for schools will be drafted “immediately,” with regulatory amendments proposed in February and a board vote slated for June. The revised regulations would take effect at the start of the 2027-28 school year, making the Class of 2027 the last to graduate under the existing system.
Official Statements & Responses
Education Commissioner Betty Rosa described the reform as a shift away from “teaching to the test,” arguing that a single high-stakes exam does not capture the breadth of student learning.
Board of Regents Chancellor Lester Young framed the change as an equity measure, stating that a student’s “zip code, background or circumstance” should not dictate access to high-quality learning experiences.
Verbatim Quotes
- “There are young people right now that graduate from high school, have done everything we told them, and they don’t have a diploma,” — Lester Young
- “New York should not tear down the measuring stick before it builds a better one,” — EdTrust-New York
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
State officials have indicated that schools will develop “local assessment strategies” to be shared publicly during the 2027-28 school year, but they have not detailed the specific components—such as portfolios, capstone projects or performance-based tasks—that will replace the Regents exams. Critics note the absence of a finalized framework for measuring competencies like communication and self-reflection.
What’s Next
The Department of Education will issue detailed guidance for districts “immediately,” with formal regulatory amendments expected in February. A board vote in June will determine whether the proposed changes become binding, and the new single-diploma system is slated to commence with the class graduating in January 2028, pending final approval.