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New York State Education Department Seal

THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

Office of Instructional Support

Deputy Commissioner

To: 
District Superintendents
Superintendents of Public Schools
Public School Administrators
Nonpublic School Administrators
Charter School Administrators
From: 
Angélica Infante-Green
Subject: 
Regulatory Amendments Related to Diploma Requirements for Students Who Transfer to a New York State High School from Outside the State

On Tuesday September 12, 2017 the Board of Regents adopted regulatory changes impacting the graduation requirements for students who transfer to a New York State high school from outside the state. The full board item and revised language can be found at http://www.regents.nysed.gov/common/regents/files/917p12a2.pdf

Commissioner’s Regulations Part 100.5(d)(5) has been revised to allow further flexibility for students coming to New York from outside the State. Students who enter a New York State (NYS) high school for the first time in grade 11 or who re-enter a New York State high school in grade 11 from outside the state, after spending three or fewer semesters in a NYS high school, may be exempt from the Global History and Geography Regents. This Regents examination is typically given at the end of grade 10 and students who enter NY in grade 11 would likely have missed the opportunity to take this examination upon completion of a Global course. These students would be required to take the US History Regents, the English Language Arts Regents, one science Regents and one mathematics Regents in order to meet the diploma requirements.

Additionally, students who enter a New York State (NYS) high school for the first time in grade 12 or who re-enter a New York State high school in grade 12 from outside the state, after spending three or fewer semesters in a NYS high school, may be exempt from the Global History and Geography Regents and the Science Regents. These students are still required to take the English Language Arts Regents, the US History Regents and one mathematics Regents examination in order to meet the diploma requirements.

In both situations outlined above, such transfer students are not permitted to substitute a pathway assessment in lieu of the US History Regents examination. Because the Global History and Geography examination is waived in these cases, all such transfer students must pass the US History Regents in order to meet the diploma requirements.