Overview
- The New York State Board of Regents voted this week to authorize the State Education Department to draft regulations that would decouple Regents exam scores from diploma requirements beginning with the Class of 2028.
- Students will still sit for Regents tests to meet federal testing rules, but passing those exams would no longer be the automatic ticket to a diploma.
- Under the NY Inspires plan districts would design local alternative pathways to show proficiency, such as classroom assessments, performance tasks, internships, and teacher observations.
- Advocates and analysts warn that removing a single statewide measure before clear, statewide guidance and calibration exists could hide weak student outcomes, widen inequities, and produce uneven rigor across districts.
- Regulators must publish formal rules in February 2027 and the Regents plan a final vote in June 2027, a timeline that critics say leaves little time for the training, rubrics, and statewide checks needed for a consistent rollout.