New York State Education Department
Requirements for High School Graduation
Students Entering Grade 9 2001 and Thereafter
Earning a Regents Diploma
The student shall meet the New York State Commencement Learning Standards by successfully completing twenty-two units of credit and five New York State assessments or approved alternatives as specified in (a) through (k) below.
- English, 4 units of credit, and the Comprehensive English Regents Examination, or an approved alternative.
- Social Studies, 4 units of credit, the Regents Examination in United States History and Government and the Regents Examination in Global History or an approved alternative.
- Mathematics, 3 units of credit and one of the Regents Examinations in Mathematics, or an approved alternative.
- Science, 3 units of credit and one of the Regents Examinations in Science, or an approved alternative. In order to qualify to take a Regents Examination in any of the sciences, a student must complete 1200 minutes of actual hands-on (not simulated) laboratory experience with satisfactory laboratory results.
- Arts (including dance, music, theatre, visual arts), one unit of credit, which may be a specialized course that meets the arts standards at the commencement level as established by the Commissioner.
- Health, one-half unit of credit which may be a specialized course which meets the health standards at the commencement level as established by the Commissioner.
- Physical Education, two units of credit.
- Additional units in any subject area approved by the Commissioner to a total of 22 units of credit.
- The learning standards in Technology Education, met either through a course in Technology Education or through a specialized interdisciplinary course combining technology with Mathematics and/or Science.
- The learning standards for parenting, met either through a course in parenting or through integration in a course in Health or Family & Consumer Sciences.
Earning a Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation
To earn a Regents diploma with advanced designation, a student must complete:
- Three Regents Examinations in Mathematics; and
- Two Regents Examinations in Science, at least one in life science and at least one in physical science; and
- Two additional units in a second language for a total of three units.
Students completing a 5-unit sequence in Occupational Education or the Arts (dance, music, theatre, visual arts) are not required to complete the additional two units of the second language requirement for the Regents diploma with advanced designation, but must still meet the requirements for the total number of units of credit.
| CORE CREDIT REQUIREMENTS |
| Content Area | Regents Diploma | | Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation |
| English | 4 | | 4 |
| Social Studies | 4 | | 4 |
| Math | 3 | | 3 |
| Science | 3 | | 3 |
| Language Other Than English (LOTE) | 1 | Select One Content Area for Advanced Designation Option | 2 Additional LOTE or 5 CTE or 4 Additional Arts Credits |
| Career & Technical Education (CTE) | |
| The Arts | 1 |
| Health | .5 | | .5 |
| Physical Education | 2 | | 2 |
| Total Units in Core | 18.5 | | 20.5 |
| Electives | 3.5 | | 1.5 |
| Required Minimum Units of Study | 22 | | 22 |
Grade Placement
At the high school, grade placement is used primarily for organizing each class, reporting attendance and placing students together so they may better plan their activities. A guide of units for grade placement is:
A FRESHMAN must earn 5 units in order to become a sophomore.
A SOPHOMORE must earn 10 units in order to become a junior.
A JUNIOR must earn 15 units and schedule all remaining graduation requirements in his/her program in order to become a senior.