Students Experiencing Homelessness- Know Your Rights
December 4, 2025NY Exemption for Regents Exams due to Major Life Event
December 4, 2025- The Regents exams were first administered in 1878. In the late 1990s, the Board of Regents made passing five specific Regents exams mandatory for receipt of a high school Regents Diploma. An alternative “Local Diploma” is available for students with disabilities under certain circumstances.
- In 2019, the New York State Board of Regents and the New York State Education Department launched the “Blue Ribbon Commission on Graduation Measures Initiative”. The Blue Ribbon Commission presented its recommendations to the Regents in June 2024.
- Based on the Commission’s recommendations, the State Education Department unveiled a plan to de-emphasize Regents exams which were previously used as a graduation measure for decades. There are four main areas of recommendations:
(1) to adopt a NY State portrait of a graduate;
(2) to redefine credits;
(3) to sunset diploma requirements; and
(4) to move to one diploma.
- The plan states that students will no longer need to pass the Regents exams to earn a high school diploma. Students will continue to take statewide assessments in English, Algebra, and Science, as this is required by federal law under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). While still required to take these assessments under the ESSA, students do not have to pass them to graduate.
- Most recent update: During the July 2025 Board of Regents Meeting, the Board and the State Education Department initiated phase one of this plan by officially adopting a NY State Portrait of a Graduate.
- More updates to follow as the plan continues to be rolled out. For now, the mandatory Regents requirements mentioned above remain in effect. Students must pass five specific exams for receipt of a high school Regents Diploma.
- As referenced above, there are some exceptions to this rule, including what are known as “Safety Nets” for students with disabilities. You may wish to consult with one of our EDRP staff attorneys if you are concerned about whether your child with a disability will be able to graduate with a high school diploma.
