The New York State Education Department (NYSED) announced last week that the Board of Regents has authorized the agency’s plan to remove regents exams as a requirement for high school graduation.

Regents exams have been a requirement for decades here in New York,  but state officials say the tests should not be the only way for schools to measure academic achievement.

Board of Regents Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr. said, "Every student in New York deserves access to rich, high‑quality learning experiences and meaningful opportunities to demonstrate what they know and can do. Advancing this work moves us closer to a more equitable system, one that upholds high expectations for all while ensuring that a student’s zip code, background, or circumstance never determines their opportunities for success."

It’s part of the department’s NY Inspires initiative which includes:

Adoption of the New York State Portrait of a Graduate; 

Redefining credits and learning experiences; 

Sunsetting separate diploma assessment requirements; and 

Moving to one New York State high school diploma.

“NY Inspires is fundamentally about strengthening teaching and learning and creating deeper, more meaningful educational experiences for every student," said Commissioner Betty A. Rosa in a statement released on Monday.

“By maintaining rigorous standards while giving students more opportunities to apply their knowledge, think critically, solve problems, and demonstrate what they know and can do, we are better preparing them for college, careers, civic life, and the future.”

She added that the changes “will give educators greater opportunities to engage students in high-quality learning while providing a more complete picture of student growth and achievement.” 

As for exactly what that looks like, the department says they will now finalize the guidance and implementation work necessary for the new graduation requirements to begin in the 2027-28 school year.

Districts across the state are trying to prepare for the changes without knowing exactly what will come next.

NYSED says districts and schools will “develop local assessment strategies that draw on multiple sources of evidence, including classroom assessments, student work, performance-based learning experiences, educator observations, and State assessments.”

Federal law requires statewide high school assessments in English language arts, mathematics, and science, and New York’s federal accountability plan also includes social studies.

The department has released initial guidance to aide districts in beginning this work and says it will continue to provide more resources as they become available.

The New York State Teacher’s Union (NYSUT) also released a statement in support of the changes.

“New York is right to rethink a system that too often measures a student’s success by performance on a single high-stakes exam. We support the direction of NY Inspires — maintaining high academic standards while creating more meaningful ways for students to demonstrate what they know and can do.

As this work moves forward, the details will matter. We look forward to working with the State Education Department and Board of Regents to ensure educators have a strong voice in implementation, schools have the resources and support they need, and every student has access to rigorous, high-quality learning opportunities.”

More information on the NY Inspires initiative can be found at nysed.gov/ny-inspires/.

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