New York · The Regents phase-out · Updated October 15, 2026
Are NY Regents exams
going away?
The exams aren't going away, but the requirement to pass them is. On September 14, 2026 the Board of Regents told NYSED to end the requirement to pass Regents exams to graduate, starting with the class of 2028 (anyone graduating in January 2028 or later). The class of 2027 still needs passing scores. Find your child's class year and see exactly what changes, in plain English.
2027 Regents dates: January 26–29 · June 15–25 · August 17–18Full 2027 Regents scheduleLast reviewed against NYSED & Board of Regents sources · 2027 exam dates checked October 15, 2026 · Updated as the rules are finalized
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The short answer: the requirement is ending, not the exam
Most headlines say “New York is dropping the Regents.” Here's the precise version: New York is ending the requirement to pass Regents exams to graduate, beginning with students graduating in 2028 (the 2027-28 school year). The exams are not being eliminated — NYSED says they will continue as rigorous statewide measures of learning, and students can take them to earn seals and endorsements. In place of “pass these exams,” New York moves to one state diploma, and later to a competency-based system built on the Portrait of a Graduate.
Source: NYSED — Message from NYSED on NY Inspires (Sept 2026, PDF)
What changed in September 2026
- Sept 14, 2026: the Board of Regents authorized NYSED to move to one state diploma and end the requirement to pass a set of Regents exams, beginning with students graduating in 2028.
- Sept 28, 2026: the Commissioner told schools that students graduating in January 2028 or later will earn one NYS diploma and won't need to meet the “4+1” Regents exam requirement. The 22-credit requirement stays for now.
- Advanced Designation will become a seal or endorsement instead of a separate diploma.
- Next: NYSED brings proposed regulations to the Board by February 2027. Chalkbeat reports a vote is expected in June 2027 (reported, not yet scheduled by NYSED). Until the Board approves the changes, the current requirements stay in effect.
Source: NYSED — Board of Regents advances NY Inspires (Sept 14, 2026)
Class of 2028: do you need Regents to graduate?
No — the class of 2028 is the first that won't need to pass Regents exams to graduate, under the plan the Board of Regents approved in September 2026. They will still take Regents exams and still need their 22 credits, and they will all earn one NYS diploma. The class of 2027 still needs passing scores. The same “take, but don't have to pass” rule covers the classes of 2029 and 2030.
2027 Regents exam dates
Yes, the 2027 Regents are happening, in the 2026-27 school year under the current rules. In January and June, morning exams start at 9:15 a.m. and afternoon exams at 1:15 p.m.; in August at 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Your school tells you the exact time to arrive.
Regents schedule 2027: every exam, by day and by subjectStart times, admission deadlines, and the January, June and August date of each exam.January 2027 Regents
Tuesday, January 26 – Friday, January 29, 2027
AM 9:15 a.m. · PM 1:15 p.m.
June 2027 Regents
Tuesday, June 15 – Friday, June 25, 2027
AM 9:15 a.m. · PM 1:15 p.m.
August 2027 Regents
Tuesday, August 17 – Wednesday, August 18, 2027
AM 8:30 a.m. · PM 12:30 p.m.
NYSED's schedules list both a Physical Science and a Physical Setting version of Chemistry and Physics; ask your school which one your child takes. Dates checked October 15, 2026.
Source: NYSED — Regents Examination Schedules (January, June and August 2027)
Find your child's grade: who's affected?
Do you need Regents to graduate? It depends on the class year. Find your child's expected graduation year below.
Class of 2027
Students graduating before the 2027-28 school year must meet the current requirements, including passing Regents exams. If your child graduates in 2027, plan as you do today.
Class of 2028–2030
Students who started 9th grade in 2024-25, 2025-26 or 2026-27. Same credit requirements; Regents exams are still taken, but passing them is no longer required for the diploma. Everyone earns one NYS diploma.
Class of 2031–2032
Students starting 9th grade in 2027-28 or 2028-29. Same as above, plus a new required career-connected learning experience to earn the diploma.
Class of 2033 and later
Students starting 9th grade in fall 2029 or later: the first cohort in the full competency-based system tied to the Portrait of a Graduate, with a required statewide transcript. NYSED says the specific requirements are still to come.
Not sure of the graduation year? It's the spring four years after a student starts 9th grade — a current 9th grader in 2026-27 is on track for the class of 2030.
Source: NYSED — NY Inspires Transformation Timeline (updated Sept 2026)
When does this happen? The timeline
NYSED announces NY Inspires, including ending separate Regents diploma requirements and moving to one diploma.
The Board of Regents adopts the six-competency Portrait of a Graduate. The same month it adopts an exemption from Regents requirements for students who face a major life event.
The Board authorizes NYSED to move to one diploma and end the Regents pass requirement, beginning with students graduating in 2028. The Advanced Designation will become a seal or endorsement.
Students graduating this school year still need passing Regents scores. The January, June and August 2027 exams run as normal.
NYSED brings the proposed regulation changes to the Board of Regents.
Chalkbeat reports a state vote on the regulations is expected in June 2027. NYSED has not published this date, so treat it as expected, not decided.
One NYS diploma; students graduating in January 2028 or later do not need to pass a set of Regents exams. Districts post their local assessment strategies this year.
Students entering 9th grade in fall 2029 (the class of 2033) are the first under the full competency-based system and the statewide transcript.
Source: NYSED — Board of Regents advances NY Inspires (Sept 14, 2026)
What changes: Regents now vs. the new model
| Now | From the class of 2028 | |
|---|---|---|
| To earn a diploma | Pass the required Regents exams (the "4+1"), generally with a 65 | Meet credit requirements; no set of Regents exams to pass. Districts write local assessment strategies |
| Are the exams still given? | Yes — required to take and pass | Yes — still given as statewide measures of learning; a passing score is no longer a diploma requirement |
| Diploma types | Local, Regents, and Regents with Advanced Designation | One New York State high school diploma, plus state and local seals and endorsements |
| Advanced Designation | A separate diploma type | Becomes a seal or endorsement |
| Credits | 22 credits | 22 credits stay until competency-based requirements arrive (students entering 9th grade from fall 2029) |
| First in effect | Through the 2026-27 school year | The 2027-28 school year: students graduating in January 2028 or later |
Source: NYSED — NY Inspires Transformation Timeline (updated Sept 2026)
What is the “Portrait of a Graduate”?
Adopted by the Board of Regents in July 2025, it's the framework the new system is built on. Six competencies, shown through projects and portfolios — not just one test day. Instruction aligned to it is required starting with students entering 9th grade in 2029-30. Here's each in plain English.
Solid grounding in core subjects — the reading, writing, and math foundation Regents always measured.
Analyzing problems and evidence, not just recalling facts for one big exam.
Generating and testing original ideas — the kind of work shown through projects.
Writing and speaking clearly, including presenting and defending work.
Understanding diverse perspectives and one’s role in a wider community.
Setting goals and owning one’s learning and next steps after high school.
Source: Chalkbeat — Board of Regents adopts Portrait of a Graduate (Jul 2025)
Will colleges still want Regents scores?
They still can. Even when a passing score isn't required to graduate, strong Regents results can earn diploma endorsements and act as readiness evidence on a transcript that SUNY, CUNY, and some out-of-state colleges may weigh. For a college-bound student, taking the exams they're prepared for usually still helps — exact admissions practices after the phase-out are still settling.
Are specific subject exams changing?
Some science exams have been replaced, not removed. Life Science: Biology (first given June 2025) has replaced Living Environment, which is on no 2027 schedule, and new Physical Science Chemistry and Physics exams were first given in June 2026. Algebra I, ELA and the other core exams are all on the 2027 schedules — what shifts is that passing them is no longer required to graduate.
What this means for parents
If your child is in middle or high school in New York, here's the honest, no-panic version — what actually changes, what doesn't, and what to do about it.
This is the part most headlines blur. New York is ending the rule that students must pass a set of Regents exams to graduate. NYSED says Regents exams “are not disappearing”: they keep being given as statewide measures of learning, and federal law still requires high school testing in ELA, math and science.
If your child graduates in 2027, the current rules still apply and they need passing Regents scores. The change starts with students graduating in January 2028 or later.
Even when passing isn’t required, students can take Regents exams to earn seals and endorsements, including the Advanced Designation. For a college-bound student, sitting the exams they’re prepared for usually still helps.
Districts are writing local assessment strategies that use several kinds of evidence: classroom work, projects and performance tasks, and state exams. The same grade-level reading, writing, and math still matter most.
The regulations go to the Board of Regents by February 2027, NYSED is building new high school accountability tests, and the full competency requirements for the class of 2033 are still to come. We update this page as decisions are made.
What hasn't been finalized yet
As of October 15, 2026: the Board has authorized the change, but the regulations that write it into law go to the Board by February 2027, and Chalkbeat reports a vote is expected in June 2027 (not yet confirmed by NYSED). NYSED is also building new high school accountability tests, with ESSA plan changes due before the Board, and the specific competency requirements for the class of 2033 are still to come. We report what NYSED and the Board of Regents have confirmed, mark what is only reported, and update this page as they vote.
Check the latest directly from the state: NYSED — NY Inspires Transformation Timeline (updated Sept 2026).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need Regents to graduate in 2027?
Yes. Students graduating before the 2027-28 school year, including the class of 2027, must meet the current requirements, which include passing Regents exams. A principal or superintendent can grant an exemption to a student who had a major life event before a required exam.
Do you need Regents to graduate in 2028?
No, under the plan the Board of Regents approved on September 14, 2026. Students graduating in January 2028 or later will earn one NYS diploma and will not have to pass a set of Regents exams. They still take Regents exams, and still need their credits. The regulations go to the Board by February 2027.
Does the class of 2029 or 2030 need Regents to graduate?
They will still take Regents exams, but passing them is not required for the diploma under the September 2026 plan. NYSED’s timeline keeps the same credit requirements for students who entered 9th grade in 2024-25 through 2026-27 (the classes of 2028-2030).
What changes for the class of 2031, 2032 and 2033?
The classes of 2031 and 2032 (9th grade in 2027-28 or 2028-29) follow the same rules as 2028-2030 plus a new required career-connected learning experience. The full competency-based system and a required statewide transcript start with students entering 9th grade in fall 2029, the class of 2033.
What did the Board of Regents decide in September 2026?
On September 14, 2026 the Board authorized NYSED to move to one state diploma and end the requirement to pass a set of Regents exams, beginning with students graduating in 2028. Regents exams continue. NYSED will bring proposed regulations to the Board by February 2027, to take effect in the 2027-28 school year.
When is the final vote on ending the Regents requirement?
NYSED says proposed regulations go to the Board of Regents by February 2027. Chalkbeat reports a vote is expected in June 2027; NYSED has not published that date, so treat it as expected, not decided. Until the Board approves the changes, NYSED says the existing requirements stay in effect.
What happens to the Advanced Regents diploma?
It becomes a seal or endorsement. Under the plan, New York moves from the local, Regents and Regents with Advanced Designation diplomas to one NYS diploma, and the Advanced Designation will be earned as a seal or endorsement on that diploma. Students can take Regents exams to work toward seals and endorsements.
Does NYC still need Regents to graduate?
NYC follows the state rule: the class of 2027 still needs passing Regents scores, and the change starts with January 2028 graduates. Chalkbeat reports NYC officials said that, if the state approves the change, its students would then graduate by completing their 44 required credits, and that NYC won’t build a one-for-one replacement for the Regents. That is reported, not yet final.
When are the January 2027 Regents?
Tuesday, January 26 through Friday, January 29, 2027. ELA is Tuesday morning, U.S. History and Government Wednesday morning, Global History and Geography II Thursday morning, and Life Science: Biology and Algebra II Friday morning. Algebra I is Wednesday afternoon and Geometry Thursday afternoon. Morning exams start at 9:15 a.m. and afternoon exams at 1:15 p.m.; your school sets the exact report time.
When are the June 2027 Regents?
Tuesday, June 15 through Friday, June 25, 2027. There are no state exams on Friday, June 18 (Juneteenth) or Friday, June 25 (a rating day). ELA is the first morning, June 15; Algebra I is June 16, Algebra II June 17 and Geometry June 22, all in the afternoon.
When are the August 2027 Regents?
Tuesday, August 17 and Wednesday, August 18, 2027. Tuesday: Algebra I and ELA at 8:30 a.m., Algebra II and Global History and Geography II at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday: Earth and Space Sciences, Physical Science: Chemistry and U.S. History and Government at 8:30 a.m., Geometry and Life Science: Biology at 12:30 p.m.
Are the January and June 2027 Regents still happening?
Yes. NYSED has published final dates and day-by-day schedules for January, June and August 2027. They fall in the 2026-27 school year, under the current rules, so students graduating in 2027 still need passing scores.
Are NY Regents exams going away?
No. NYSED says Regents exams “are not disappearing” and will continue as statewide measures of learning. What ends is the requirement to pass a set of Regents exams to graduate, beginning with students graduating in 2028.
Will Regents exams still exist after 2027?
Yes. Regents exams will still be given after 2027. Federal law requires high school testing in ELA, math and science, and NYSED is also building new high school accountability tests. What changes is that passing Regents is no longer a separate diploma requirement.
Do students still need a 65 on Regents to graduate?
Students graduating in 2027 do: the current rules, including passing scores on the required Regents exams, apply through the 2026-27 school year. For students graduating in January 2028 or later, a passing Regents score is no longer required to graduate.
What is replacing Regents exams?
There is no single replacement. Students still meet credit requirements, districts write local assessment strategies that use several kinds of evidence (classroom work, projects, state exams), and NYSED is building new high school accountability tests. From students entering 9th grade in fall 2029, a competency-based system tied to the Portrait of a Graduate takes over.
What is the Portrait of a Graduate in New York?
Adopted by the Board of Regents in July 2025, the Portrait of a Graduate defines six competencies every NY graduate should demonstrate: Academically Prepared, Critical Thinker, Creative Innovator, Effective Communicator, Global Citizen, and Reflective & Future-Focused. Instruction aligned to it is required starting with students entering 9th grade in 2029-30.
Do I have to take Regents in 2027?
For most students, yes. Regents exams are still given, and students graduating in 2027 need passing scores. From the class of 2028, students still take Regents exams but no longer need to pass them to graduate.
Is the Algebra 1 Regents going away?
No. The Algebra I Regents is on NYSED’s January, June and August 2027 schedules and will keep being given. What changes, from January 2028 graduates, is that passing it is no longer required to graduate.
Is the Living Environment Regents being replaced?
It already has been. The Life Science: Biology Regents was first given in June 2025, and none of NYSED’s 2027 schedules list Living Environment. Biology is given in January, June and August 2027.
Is the ELA Regents still required?
For students graduating in 2027, yes. For students graduating in January 2028 or later, a passing ELA Regents score is no longer required to graduate, though the exam is still given.
Do Regents scores matter for college if they’re not required to graduate?
They still can. Regents exams count toward seals and endorsements, including the Advanced Designation, and strong scores show readiness on a transcript. Exact college admissions practices after the change are still evolving.
Should my child still take Regents if they become optional?
Under NYSED’s timeline, students keep taking Regents exams while they are used for federal accountability; what stops is the need to pass them for the diploma. For a college-bound student, doing well still helps: it can earn seals and endorsements and strengthen a transcript.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from these NYSED documents and the news reports named beside them. Last reviewed .
- NYSED — NY Inspires Transformation Timeline (updated Sept 2026)
- NYSED — Board of Regents advances NY Inspires (Sept 14, 2026)
- NYSED Commissioner memo — Sunsetting diploma assessment requirements and moving to one diploma (Sept 28, 2026, PDF)
- NYSED — Message from NYSED on NY Inspires (Sept 2026, PDF)
- Chalkbeat — Board of Regents adopts Portrait of a Graduate (Jul 2025)
- Chalkbeat — NYC students may soon only need passing grades to graduate (Sept 23, 2026)
- NYSED — Regents Examination Schedules (January, June and August 2027)
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