Guidance Department

http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/part100/pages/1005a.html

NYS Requirements for Graduation

SECTION 100.5

100.5 Diploma requirements. 

(3) Students first entering grade nine in the 2001-2002 school year, but prior to the 2008-2009 school year, shall have earned at least 22 units of credit including two credits in physical education to receive either a Regents or local high school diploma.  Students first entering grade nine in the 2008-2009 school year and thereafter shall have earned at least 22 units of credit including two credits in physical education to receive a Regents diploma. Such units of credit shall incorporate the commencement level of the State learning standards in: English language arts; social studies; mathematics, science, technology; the arts (including visual arts, music, dance and theatre); languages other than English; health, physical education, family and consumer sciences; and career development and occupational studies. Such units of credit shall include:

(i) English, four units of credit;

(ii) social studies, four units of credit as set forth in paragraph (6) of this subdivision;

(iii) science, three units of credit of commencement level science, at least one course shall be life sciences and at least one in the physical sciences, the third may be either life sciences or physical sciences;

(iv) mathematics, three units of mathematics, which shall be at a more advanced level than grade eight and shall meet commencement-level learning standards as determined by the commissioner;

(v) visual arts and/or music, dance, or theatre, one unit of credit; and

(vi) health education, one half unit of credit in accordance with the requirements set forth in section 135.3(c) of this Title. Learning standards in the area of parenting shall be attained through either the health or family and consumer sciences programs or a separate course.

(4) All students shall have earned the equivalent of two units of credit in physical education in accordance with the requirements set forth in section 135.4(c)(2)(ii) of this Title. Such units of credit shall not count towards the required units of credit set forth in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subdivision for those students who enter grade nine before the 2001-2002 school year. Beginning with the 2001-2002 school year and thereafter, such units of credit in physical education shall count toward the required total. A student who has completed the diploma requirements as set forth in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subdivision in fewer than eight semesters, and who is otherwise eligible to receive a diploma, shall not be required to continue enrollment in high school for the sole purpose of completing the physical education requirements as set forth in this paragraph. 

(7) Types of diplomas.

(i) Except as provided in subparagraphs (vi), (vii) and (viii) of this paragraph, for students first entering grade nine in the 2001-2002 school year and thereafter, there shall be no diplomas or certificates other than the following:

(a) Regents diploma; or

(b) Regents diploma with an advanced designation;

(ii) A local school district may award a student a Regents diploma with honors or a Regents diploma with advanced designation with honors. To earn honors, a student shall achieve an average of 90 per cent in all Regents examinations, or their equivalent pursuant to section 100.2(p) of this Part, required for the diploma. Each Regents examination score carries a weight of one and such score shall not be multiplied by the number of units of study being examined. Averages below 90.0 per cent shall not be rounded upward to 90 per cent.

(iv) Earning a Regents diploma. Students first entering grade nine in 2001 and thereafter shall meet the commencement level New York State learning standards by successfully completing twenty-two units of credit and five New York State assessments distributed as specified in (a) through (k) below. After passing the required New York State assessment or approved alternative in mathematics, science, and English language arts, the remaining units of credit required in that discipline may be in specialized courses. A specialized course is a course that meets the requirements of a unit of credit as defined in section 100.1(a) of this Part and the New York State commencement learning standards as established by the commissioner. A specialized course develops the subject in greater depth and/or breadth and/or may be interdisciplinary. Successful completion of one unit of study in an interdisciplinary specialized course may be awarded only one unit of credit but may be used to meet the distribution requirements in more than one subject. In a public high school, an interdisciplinary specialized course shall be taught by a teacher certified in at least one of the subjects. 

(a) English, four units of credit and the Regents comprehensive examination in English or an approved alternative pursuant to section 100.2(f) of this Part.

(b) Social studies, four units of credit including one unit of credit in American history, the Regents examination in United States history and government or an approved alternative pursuant to section 100.2(f) of this Part, the Regents examination in global history and geography or an approved alternative pursuant to section 100.2(f) of this Part, and a half unit of credit in Economics and a half unit of credit in Participation in Government or their equivalent as approved by the local public school superintendent or his or her designee or by the chief administrative officer of a registered nonpublic high school.

(c) Mathematics, three units of credit and the Regents examinations in mathematics designated by the commissioner or an approved alternative pursuant to section 100.2(f) of this Part. Students must pass either the Regents examination titled Mathematics A, or until January 2002, both Regents examinations titled Course I and Course II or both Course I and Mathematics A.

(d) Science, three units of credit and one of the Regents examinations in science or an approved alternative pursuant to section 100.2(f) of this Part. In order to qualify to take a Regents examination in any of the sciences a student must complete 1200 minutes of actual hands-on (not simulated) laboratory experience with satisfactory documented laboratory reports. The 1200 minutes of laboratory experience must be in addition to the required classroom instruction associated with earning a unit of credit.

(e) The Arts (including visual arts, music, dance and theatre), one unit of credit, which may be a specialized course that meets the arts standards at the commencement level as established by the commissioner. Any arts course for which credit will be awarded to meet the one unit of credit requirement for graduation must be taught by a certified teacher and must follow a State-developed or State-adopted syllabus or a locally-developed or locally-adopted syllabus approved by the commissioner.

(f) Health, one half unit of credit which may be a specialized course which meets the health standards at the commencement level as established by the commissioner. Any health course for which credit will be awarded to meet the one half unit of credit requirement for graduation must be taught by a certified teacher and must follow a State-developed or State-adopted syllabus or a locally-developed or locally-adopted syllabus approved by the commissioner.

(g) Languages other than English, one unit of commencement-level credit which can be earned by passing the State second language proficiency examination pursuant to section 100.2(d) of this Title. A student identified as having a disability which adversely affects the ability to learn a language may be excused from the language other than English requirement set forth in this subparagraph if such student's individualized education program indicates that such requirement is not appropriate to the student's special educational needs. Such a student need not have a sequence in a language other than English but must meet the requirements for the total number of credits required for a diploma.

(h) Physical Education, two units of credit, except that a student who has completed the diploma requirements in fewer than eight semesters shall not be required to continue enrollment in high school for the sole purpose of completing the physical education requirements.

(i) Additional units in English language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, the arts, languages other than English, career and technical education, or any other subject area approved by the commissioner to a total of twenty-two units of credit.

(v) Earning a Regents diploma with advanced designation. To earn a Regents diploma with an advanced designation a student must complete, in addition to the requirements for a Regents diploma:

(a) Additional Regents examinations in mathematics as determined by the commissioner or approved alternatives pursuant to section 100.2(f) of this Part. Students must pass the two Regents examinations titled Mathematics A and Mathematics B,  the three Regents examinations titled Course I, Course II and Course III or the two Regents examinations titled Mathematics A and Course 111.

(b) One additional Regents examination in science, for a total of two Regents examinations, with at least one in life science and at least one in physical science; and

(c) Two additional units in a language other than English for a total of three units and the Regents comprehensive assessment in that language. A student identified as having a disability which adversely affects the ability to learn a language may be excused from the language other than English requirement set forth in this subparagraph if such student's individualized education program indicates that such requirement is not appropriate to the student's special educational needs. Such a student need not have a sequence in a language other than English but must meet the requirements for the total number of credits required for a diploma. Students completing a five-unit sequence in career and technical education or the arts (visual arts, music, dance, and theatre) are not required to complete the additional two units of the language other than English requirement for the Regents diploma with advanced designation but must still meet the requirements for the total number of units of credit.