New state requirements for earning a high school diploma have been phased in since 1996, with the shift from the old way to the new causing some confusion. In 2005 the New York State Board of Regents approved a score of 65 as the passing score on the State Regents exams required for graduation. However, that too, is being phased in gradually and the year your child enters 9th grade will determine how many exams he needs to pass with a score of 65 and how many at 55 (see chart below). Students in New York City need to earn 44 course credits in addition to the Regents exams to graduate.Note: New York State graduation requirements refer to units, each of which represents two New York City credits. Some specialized and alternative high schools have additional graduation requirements such as extra courses or completion of a portfolio. Talk to your child's guidance counselor to find out what is required.

There are five types of diplomas: Local diploma; Regents diploma; Advanced Regents diploma; an IEP, or special education diploma; and the GED, the General Educational Development diploma.

On this page: Local diploma | Regents diploma | Advanced Regents diploma | Graduation credit requirements | English Language Learners | Special education | GED

Local diploma

When rigorous graduation requirements were established a decade ago, New York State gave localities the choice of issuing a local diploma that phases in the 65% minimum passing score. In New York City, students may earn a local diploma only if they enter 9th grade before September 2008. Students must earn the same 44 credits as Regents diploma graduates, and must have 90% attendance, but one or more passing score on the Regents exam may be 55 depending on the year the student entered. See chart below for score requirements. Some students who entered before 1996 can get a RCT or Regents Competency Diploma, by passing an easier set of tests called RCTs, or can substitute one or more RCT's for Regents exams and still receive a local diploma. In addition, students with an IEP are allowed certain accomodations to receive a local diploma (see Special Education below).

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Regents Diploma

Of the 44 credits needed for graduation for a Regents Diploma, a total of 40 credits must be earned in academic subjects including the arts; 4 credits are earned for a required 7 semesters of gym plus 1 semester of health education. In addition, students must pass five Regents exams, in Math, Global History, U.S. History, and Science, with a score of 65 or more. 90% attendance is also required.

Advanced Regents diploma

To earn an Advanced Regents diploma, students must score 65 or more on all their Regents exams, take additional credits in a language other than English and pass a Regents Comprehensive Assessment in that language, pass an additional Regents exam in science (at least one course should be in life science and one in physical sciences) and take an additional set of math courses and pass the associated Regents exam. An advanced Regents Diploma with Honors may be issued to students who take the additional credits for an advanced diploma and achieve an average of 90% or more on all Regents Exams. Adjustments are made for students taking a sequence in Career or Technology Education or the arts. More information on the Career and Technology Education sequence can be found on the Department of Education website.

Graduation credit requirements

Below is a chart of basic credit requirements for a high school diploma. All students are required to earn at least 44 credits to graduate regardless of the type of diploma they are pursuing. For detailed requirements according to the year your student enrolled high school, please see the Department of Education website.

How to appeal a failing Regents score:

Students who fail to pass a Regents exam may appeal if they score within three points of 65 and have met the following criteria:

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English Language Learners

All English Language Learners must pass the Regents English Exam to receive a regular high school diploma. However, these students who enter the U.S. in 9th grade or later may take other required Regents examinations in their native languages -- if the translated exam is available and if the test is taken within three years of their entering the U.S. The other required Regents examinations are available in Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Oral translation is provided for students if a version of the test is not available in their language.
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Special Education students

Students who receive Special Education services and are unable to pass the Regents examination may take the Regents Competency Tests, known as the RCT (this is referred to as the Safety Net) if they enter 9th grade in or after September 2001 and prior to September 1010. In addition, for students who enter 9th grade in or after September 2005, a grade of 55-64 may be considered as a passing score on any Regents exam required for graduation. However, in both og these cases, students will only earn a Local, and not a Regent's, diploma. This policy applies both to students with IEP's (Individual Education Plans) and students who were, but are no longer, in high school special education.

The law states that the majority of students who receive special education services should be prepared to earn regular high school diplomas. However, for a small minority of students, an IEP diploma option is also available. An IEP diploma is not as useful as a regular diploma; for example, you cannot try to enlist in the military services or attend even a two-year college with an IEP diploma. An IEP diploma certifies merely that a student attended school and completed IEP goals. An IEP diploma should not be a goal for students with the potential to meet graduation standards. Students who get IEP diplomas are entitled to stay in school to work toward a regular diploma or GED until the age of 21. Students with disabilities can also be prepared for the GED but cannot be forced to pursue that degree instead of a regular diploma.

If you are not sure whether your child is being prepared for a local, Regents, IEP or GED diploma, look on page 9 of his IEP. If the IEP says he is tracked for a local or Regent's diploma, talk to the Supervisor/Assistant Principal of Special Education to make sure he is earning the credits he needs and being prepared for the graduation exams. If the IEP says he is tracked for an IEP diploma, but you think your child should be able to earn a regular diploma, you can request a review meeting and/or use your due process rights. It might help to seek the advice of an advocate or attorney.

You should be focusing on the type of diploma your child is to earn way before he arrives at high school; as soon as your child is enrolled in school you should be ensuring that he gets access to the regular curriculum and assistance necessary to meet the standards applicable to all children in his age group, unless his cognitive ability will not allow him to do so. Children who miss out on important instruction in the early grades may not be able to catch up later.

Please see our Special Education page for more information about special education services.
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General Education Development diploma (GED)

The decision to leave high school and aim for a GED instead should be taken very seriously. Students pursuing this diploma are required to complete a less extensive academic program than those pursuing a conventional diploma. Therefore, employers and colleges sometimes look down on the GED. Four-year colleges, for example, will generally not accept students with GEDs, unless they get a superior test score. GED students typically attend two-year community colleges, until they have enough credits to transfer into a four-year college.

Students have a right to remain in high school until they are 21 or until they earn a high school diploma, whichever comes first. They should not be pushed into seeking a GED. Too often, schools tell older students with few credits that they cannot remain in high school. This is not true. Only a student 18 or over or the parents can voluntarily discharge the student from school.

The GED also has ceased to be an easy way out for students not doing well in traditional high school. The test covers the core academic areas of a regular high school curriculum, measuring knowledge of subjects normally taught over the course of four years. Before deciding to pursue GEDs, students should consider alternative academic programs so that they are not set up to fail. At a minimum, they should start with a pre-GED program. (Also see high school transfers, high school options or alternative programs.)

Who may take the GED exam

According to state regulations, the following students are all eligible to take the GED exam:

1. Anyone who is 19 or older on the testing day, has completed an application, and can present a photo identification showing his birth date and signature;
2. Students who are 17 or 18 and meet one of the following requirements:
• The applicant is an adjudicated youth and the program can certify that the GED is essential for rehabilitation.
• The applicant has not attended a regular full-time high school program for one year or more, and the last school he attended can provide written verification showing the last attendance date and discharge or dismissal.
• The applicant is 17 and has a letter from school district indicating he has been home-schooled and has not attended the school district for at least one year.
• The applicant is a member of a class that has graduated, and the school can verify the graduation year of the student when he was in the 9th grade.
• The applicant is a resident at a drug addiction center, OCFS (Office of Children and Family Services) facility, prison, or a patient in a NY hospital AND the head of that center can prove that the GED is essential for rehabilitation.
• The student is enrolled in an approved alternative high school equivalency prep program, and the program verifies that the student has participated and demonstrated readiness to test.
• The applicant is enrolled in a Job Corps program and the program can verify that the applicant has been participating for at least six months and demonstrates a readiness to test.

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