New York is moving forward with plans to create a single statewide high school diploma and change how Regents exams are used, the New York State Education Department announced Monday.
The Board of Regents authorized the next phase of NY Inspires, a multiyear effort to change how New York measures graduation and student achievement.
The changes are slated to begin with students graduating in 2028.
What is changing?
Under the new framework, New York will move from its current system of local, Regents and Regents with Advanced Designation diplomas to one New York State high school diploma.
Students will no longer have to pass a prescribed set of Regents exams to earn a diploma, according to state officials.
The current Advanced Designation will transition to a seal or
endorsement. Students will continue to have opportunities to distinguish their accomplishments through state and locally developed seals and endorsements.
Will Regents exams go away?
No. Regents exams will continue, but their purpose will change.
Beginning with students graduating in 2028, Regents exams will no longer be separate diploma requirements. Instead, the exams will continue to serve as rigorous statewide measures of student achievement and whether students have met New York's learning standards.
Schools and districts will also develop local assessment strategies using multiple sources of evidence, including classroom assessments, student work, performance-based learning experiences, educator observations and state assessments.
When will the changes take effect?
The Department plans to propose regulatory changes to the Board of Regents by February 2027, with implementation beginning in the 2027-28 school year.
The changes will impact students graduating in 2028 and later.
What is NY Inspires?
NY Inspires was announced in November 2024 following statewide discussions and recommendations from the Blue Ribbon Commission on Graduation Measures.
The initiative includes four major changes:
- Adopting the New York State Portrait of a Graduate.
- Redefining credits and learning experiences.
- Ending separate diploma assessment requirements.
- Moving to one New York State high school diploma.
The Board of Regents adopted the New York State Portrait of a Graduate in July 2025.
What about statewide testing?
Regents exams will continue to be used to measure student achievement, while the state also plans to develop high school accountability assessments designed to provide comparable statewide measures of achievement and better measure academic growth.
Federal law requires statewide high school assessments in English language arts, mathematics and science. New York's federal accountability plan also includes social studies.
Additional changes to New York's federal accountability plan and secondary accountability system are expected to come before the Board of Regents later this fall.
What happens next?
The state Department of Education will hone regulations, guidance and implementation plans before the changes take effect.
Department officials said they will continue seeking feedback from educators, students, families, school leaders, higher education institutions, employers and other stakeholders throughout the process.
More information is available through the New York Inspires website.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: New York is changing how high school diplomas work. See what's different
