Staff Reports
The New York State Board of Regents has quietly cleared the path to end Regents exams as a hard rule for getting a high school diploma. Starting with students who graduate in January 2028 or later, passing the old 4+1 Regents test rule will no longer be the gate to a diploma. The Board told the State Education Department to begin rulemaking under the “NY Inspires” plan to create one New York State diploma and shift to local, performance-based checks instead.
What the Regents actually approved
The Board of Regents authorized the State Education Department to “sunset” separate diploma-assessment rules and move toward a single diploma system. Board of Regents Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr. called it a “bold reimagining.” Commissioner of Education Betty A. Rosa says it is “not about lowering standards,” only about redefining how students show they met them. Regents exams will still exist as state assessments, the plan says, but they will no longer be the automatic ticket to graduation.
Why this move is risky for standards and employers
Calling this a thoughtful reform is kind. The real risk is the slow collapse of a clear, statewide standard into a patchwork of local projects. Districts will be asked to build performance tasks, capstones, internships and local rubrics — with different budgets, staff, and priorities. Colleges and employers rely on a predictable signal. If a diploma can mean different things in different districts, its value drops fast. Translation: more diplomas, less proof of real skills.
Promises of equity don’t erase the need for accountability
Supporters say a single diploma with local options advances equity. That sounds fine until you ask how the state will stop a low-bar district from handing out diplomas like participation trophies. Federal accountability rules (ESSA) still need honest, high-school-level assessments. If state leaders want to change the rules, they must publish clear rubrics, run real pilot tests, and approve quality-assurance checks — not just hand districts a slogan and wish for the best.
What parents and taxpayers should demand
This is a big change that affects every student and employer in New York. Parents should watch the upcoming rulemaking and use the public-comment period to demand clarity. Insist on statewide rubrics, independent audits, and preserves of at least some uniform exams as a backstop. If the goal is stronger graduates, prove it — don’t just paper over failing results with shiny new names and lower expectations.
