Staff Reports
The New York State Board of Regents just gave Albany another education detour. They voted to let the State Education Department move forward with “NY Inspires,” a plan that will stop requiring students to pass specified Regents exams to earn a high-school diploma. The change will affect the class identified as the class of 2028 and pushes the state toward a one-diploma system based on performance and competency instead of a single statewide test.
What the Board actually did — and what comes next
The Regents authorized NYSED to prepare regulatory changes and an implementation plan. That means drafting rules, holding hearings, and then voting again before anything becomes final. NYSED plans to bring proposed amendments back to the Regents in early 2027. Even under the new plan, Regents exams will still be given for federal accountability and can be used for seals or local honors — they’re being decoupled from diploma requirements, not thrown out entirely.
Why this matters
Regents exams have long been New York’s common yardstick. For decades they provided one clear, statewide measure of whether a student met basic standards in math, ELA, and science. Removing that required bar without a clear, uniform replacement risks turning diplomas into house-made certificates — and makes apples-to-apples comparisons across 700-plus districts much harder. Commissioner Betty A. Rosa and Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr. frame this as a “bold reimagining.” That sounds nice, but “bold” should not be code for “we gave up on a statewide standard before we agreed on a real replacement.”
Real risks: equity, consistency and accountability
Advocates like EdTrust–New York warn that this move could widen gaps, not close them. New York’s graduation rate sits in the mid-80s, yet subject-matter mastery — like Algebra I pass rates and NAEP scores — lags. In plain language: lots of students hold diplomas while many lack the skills employers and colleges expect. If districts pick different, softer ways to prove readiness, students in poor and minority communities could end up with diplomas that mean less. NYSUT supports rethinking high-stakes tests but calls for real resources and educator involvement. Sounds reasonable. What would be less reasonable is tearing down the measuring stick before you build a stronger one.
How Albany should fix this — fast
If the state insists on a performance-based diploma, it must adopt strict, statewide rules for what “performance” looks like. Set clear scoring rubrics. Require independent audits. Fund the teacher training, assessments, and supports that make performance tasks fair. Keep the Regents exams as a backstop or a common benchmark for a few years. And while we’re at it, stop blocking a proven option: lift the cap on charter schools in New York City so parents have stronger choices when their local schools fail kids.
Sunsetting Regents exams as a graduation gate might sound compassionate. But compassion without rigor is just lowering the bar and calling it progress. New York can and should demand both high standards and better supports. If Albany wants to “reimagine” graduation, do it with rules that preserve meaning, not with slogans and good intentions. Otherwise we’ll end up with diplomas that say more about paperwork than about readiness — and New Yorkers deserve better than that.
