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Standards and Instruction

General Education and Diploma Requirements

Additional Resources

Endorsements and Seals

This page includes information related to the honors endorsement, the mastery endorsement, the technical endorsement, and seals. 

Honors Endorsement

The honors endorsement may be awarded to students who complete the requirements for either the Regents diploma or the Regents diploma with advanced designation. To earn the honors endorsement, a student must meet the assessment requirements for the Regents diploma or the Regents with advanced designation and also earn a computed average of 90 or above on the Regents examinations applicable to their diploma type (no rounding up is permitted).

As long as exemptions continue to influence students’ ability to graduate, the calculation for the honors endorsement will be dependent upon the number of scored Regents examinations the student has completed (applicable to their diploma type). In instances where students have more earned scores and/or exemptions than required for the diploma type, schools may use the combination most beneficial to the student.

Students with a minimum of three scored Regents examinations applicable to the diploma

In instances where students have at least three scored Regents examinations to be included in the assessments required for the diploma type, exemptions due to COVID-19 would be removed from the calculation. If the computed average of the Regents examination scores required for the diploma (not including exemptions) equals 90 or above, the student earned the honors endorsement.

Students with fewer than three scored Regents examinations applicable to the diploma

The student’s final course grade for each exempted Regents examination will be substituted in the calculation for honors. If the computed average of the scored Regents examinations and the final course grades for courses for which exemptions were granted equals 90 or above, the student earned the honors endorsement.

Resources related to the honors endorsement include:

​Mastery Endorsement

Mastery in Mathematics

  • Student completed all the requirements for the Regents diploma with advanced designation; and
    • passed 3 Regents examinations in mathematics with a score of 85 or higher; or
    • passed 2 Regents examinations in mathematics with a score of 85 or higher and was granted an exemption on a third Regents examination in mathematics; or
    • passed 1 Regents examination in mathematics with an 85 or higher and earned a final course grade of 85 or higher in 2 additional mathematics courses culminating in a Regents examination for which an exemption was granted.

Mastery in Science

  • Student completed all the requirements for the Regents diploma with advanced designation; and
    • passed 3 Regents examinations in science with a score of 85 or higher; or
    • passed 2 Regents examinations in science with a score of 85 or higher and was granted an exemption on a third Regents examination in science; or
    • passed 1 Regents examination in science with an 85 or higher and earned a final course grade of 85 or higher in 2 additional science courses culminating in a Regents examination for which an exemption was granted.

Additional information can be referenced in the FAQ about NYS Graduation Requirements.

Technical Endorsement

The technical endorsement may be awarded to students who complete the requirements for any diploma type (local, Regents, or Regents with advanced designation) and also complete a NYSED-Approved Secondary Career and Technical Education (CTE) program that includes:  

  • passing a minimum of 3.5 CTE credits 
  • passing each part of a 3-part technical assessment (written, demonstration, project components).

Additional information can be referenced on the Technical Endorsement webpage.

Seals

For further questions and comments, email: emscurric@nysed.gov (general questions) or emscgradreq@nysed.gov (questions related to graduation requirements), or call (518) 474-5922.