Are NY Regents Exams Being Eliminated?
No — Regents exams are not being abolished. Under New York's proposed Graduation Measures plan, passing them would stop being a graduation requirement beginning around the 2027–28 school year, but the exams will still be offered. Here is what is actually changing.
Last reviewed September 2026. The changes below are proposed and being phased in — they are not yet final regulation, and current students must still meet current graduation requirements.
Are Regents exams going away?
No. New York is not abolishing the Regents exams. Under the state's proposed Graduation Measures plan, passing them would no longer be required to earn a diploma — but the exams will still be offered. They remain because federal law (ESSA) still requires some testing, and because Regents scores stay useful for college readiness, endorsements, and honors.
What is actually changing
The plan, called "NY Inspires," has four parts: adopt a statewide Portrait of a Graduate, redefine what a course credit means, sunset the requirement to pass diploma assessments (Regents exams and the +1 pathway) around fall 2027, and move to a single New York State High School Diploma in place of today's local / Regents / advanced-designation tiers. Students would show readiness through multiple pathways rather than one required set of exams.
Who is affected, and when
- Class of 2027 (current 12th graders) — the last cohort required to pass Regents exams under current rules.
- Current 9th–11th graders — under the proposal would still take Regents exams but not be required to pass them, graduating with the single state diploma.
- One diploma — planned for students graduating January 2028 and later.
- Portrait of a Graduate instruction — required starting with the 2029–30 grade-9 cohort.
A cohort is defined by the year a student first entered grade 9; off-track students may differ.
What has been decided vs. proposed
In November 2024, NYSED presented the NY Inspires plan; the Board of Regents voiced support but took no binding vote. In July 2025, the Board formally adopted the Portrait of a Graduate. The regulations that would actually end the exam requirement and move to one diploma had not yet been adopted as of mid-2026 — so today's rules still stand.
The separate science-exam change
Unrelated to the graduation-requirement plan, New York is rolling out new science Regents aligned to the NYSSLS standards. The new Life Science: Biology and Earth & Space Sciences exams debuted in June 2025; the old Living Environment and Earth Science exams had their last administration in June 2026. New Chemistry and Physics exams begin June 2026, with the old versions given through June 2027.
Frequently asked questions
Are the Regents exams being eliminated?
No. New York proposes to stop requiring students to pass Regents exams to graduate, starting around 2027–28, but the exams will still be administered.
Do I still have to pass the Regents to graduate?
For now, yes. Current graduation requirements remain in force. The Class of 2027 is the last cohort required to pass under the proposed timeline.
When will Regents exams stop being required to graduate?
Under the proposed timeline, the requirement to pass diploma assessments would sunset around the 2027–28 school year, though the regulations were not yet final as of 2026.
Is the Living Environment Regents still given?
The Living Environment exam had its last administration in June 2026. It is replaced by the new Life Science: Biology Regents, which debuted in June 2025.