Special Education


Diploma/Credential Requirements

Diploma/Credential Requirements

English - PDF PDF Document (123 KB)
Spanish - PDF PDF Document (40 KB)
Chinese - PDF PDF Document (94 KB)
Haitian-Creole - PDF PDF Document (37 KB)
Korean - PDF PDF Document (140 KB)
Russian - PDF PDF Document (144 KB)

The following charts outline the diploma and credential requirements currently in effect. The chart is intended to provide an overview of the requirements and identify the student populations that have access to each type of diploma and nondiploma high school exiting credential. Websites are provided to offer specific regulatory requirements and more detailed information regarding the requirements for each diploma or credential.

Diploma Type

Available to

Requirements

Regents All Student Populations
  • Credit: 22 units of credit distributed as follows: 4 English language arts (ELA), 4 Social Studies, 3 Science, 3 Mathematics, ½ Health, 1 Arts, 1 Language other than English (LOTE), 2 Physical Education, 3 ½ Electives
  • Assessment: 5 required Regents exams with a score of 65 or better as follows: 1 Math, 1 Science, ELA, Global History and Geography, US History and Government
    https://www.p12.nysed.gov/part100/pages/1005.html#regentsdiploma
Regents
(through appeal)
All Student Populations
  • Credit: 22 units of credit distributed as follows: 4 ELA, 4 Social Studies, 3 Science, 3 Mathematics, ½ Health, 1 Arts, 1 LOTE, 2 Physical Education, 3 ½ Electives.
  • Assessment: 4 required Regents exams with a score of 65 or better and 1 Regents exam with a score of 62-64 for which an appeal is granted by the local district per Commissioner’s Regulation section 100.5(d)(7) as follows: 1 Math, 1 Science, ELA, Global History and Geography, US History and Government

https://www.p12.nysed.gov/part100/pages/1005.html#regpasscore

Regents with Honors All Student Populations
  • Credit: 22 units of credit distributed as follows: 4 ELA, 4 Social Studies, 3 Science, 3 Mathematics, ½ Health, 1 Arts, 1 LOTE, 2 Physical Education, 3 ½ Electives
  • Assessment: 5 required Regents exams with a computed average score of 90 or better as follows: 1 Math, 1 Science, ELA, Global History and Geography, US History and Government

https://www.p12.nysed.gov/part100/pages/1005.html#diplomaHonors

Regents with Advanced Designation All Student Populations
  • Credit: 22 units of credit distributed as follows: 4 ELA, 4 Social Studies, 3 Science, 3 Mathematics, ½ Health, 1 Arts, 1 LOTE, 2 Physical Education, 3 ½ Electives. In addition, a student must earn an additional 2 units of credit in LOTE or a 5 unit sequence in the Arts or Career and Technical Education (CTE). These credits can be included in the 22 required credits.
  • Assessment: 8 required Regents exams with a score of 65 or better as follows: 3 Math, 2 Science, ELA, Global History and Geography, US History and Government; and either a locally developed Checkpoint B LOTE examination or a 5 unit sequence in the Arts or CTE

https://www.p12.nysed.gov/part100/pages/1005.html#regentsAD

Regents with Advanced Designation with an annotation that denotes Mastery in Math All Student Populations
  • Credit: 22 units of credit distributed as follows: 4 ELA, 4 Social Studies, 3 Science, 3 Mathematics, ½ Health, 1 Arts, 1 LOTE, 2 Physical Education, 3 ½ Electives. In addition, a student must earn an additional 2 units of credit in LOTE or a 5 unit sequence in the Arts or CTE. These credits can be included in the 22 required credits.
  • Assessment: Meets all assessment requirements for the Regents with Advanced Designation (see above) and, in addition, scores 85 or better on each of 3 Regents Examinations in Mathematics
    See section 100.5(b)(7)(x) https://www.p12.nysed.gov/part100/pages/1005.html#regentsAD
Regents with Advanced Designation with an annotation that denotes Mastery in Science All Student Populations
  • Credit: 22 units of credit distributed as follows: 4 ELA, 4 Social Studies, 3 Science, 3 Mathematics, ½ Health, 1 Arts, 1 LOTE, 2 Physical Education, 3 ½ Electives. In addition, a student must earn an additional 2 units of credit in LOTE or a 5 unit sequence in the Arts or CTE. These credits can be included in the 22 required credits.
  • Assessment: Meets all assessment requirements for the Regents with Advanced Designation (see above) and, in addition, scores 85 or better on each of 3 Regents Examinations in Science
    See section 100.5(b)(7)(x) https://www.p12.nysed.gov/part100/pages/1005.html#regentsAD
Regents with Advanced Designation with Honors All Student Populations
  • Credit: 22 units of credit distributed as follows: 4 ELA, 4 Social Studies, 3 Science, 3 Mathematics, ½ Health, 1 Arts, 1 LOTE, 2 Physical Education, 3 ½ Electives. In addition, a student must earn an additional 2 units of credit in LOTE or a 5 unit sequence in the Arts or CTE. These credits can be included in the 22 required credits.
  • Assessment: 8 required Regents exams with a computed average score of 90 or better as follows: 3 Math, 2 Science, ELA, Global History and Geography, US History and Government; and either a locally developed Checkpoint B LOTE examination with a score of 65 or a 5 unit sequence in the Arts or CTE

https://www.p12.nysed.gov/part100/pages/1005.html#diplomaHonors

Local Students with disabilities with an individualized education program or section 504 Accommodation Plan
  • Credit: 22 units of credit distributed as follows: 4 ELA, 4 Social Studies, 3 Science, 3 Mathematics, ½ Health, 1 Arts, 1 LOTE, 2 Physical Education, 3 ½ Electives.
  • Assessment: Low Pass Safety Net Option1: 5 required Regents exams with a score of 55 or better as follows: 1 Math, 1 Science, 1 ELA, 1 Global History and Geography, 1 US History and Government; https://www.p12.nysed.gov/part100/pages/1005.html#assessment, or;
  • Regents Competency Test (RCT) Safety Net Option for students entering grade 9 prior to September 2011: Passing score on corresponding RCT if student does not achieve a score of 55 or higher on the Regents examination https://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/publications/localdiplomaoptions-may2011.htm; or
  • Compensatory Safety Net Option: Scores between 45-54 on one or more of the five required Regents exams, other than the ELA or mathematics exam, but compensates the low score with a score of 65 or higher on another required Regents exam. Note: a score of at least 55 must be earned on both the ELA and mathematics exams. A score of 65 or higher on a single examination may not be used to compensate for more than one examination for which a score of 45-54 is earned. https://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/publications/safetynet-compensatoryoption.html
Local Diploma (through Appeal) All Student Populations
  • Credit: 22 units of credit distributed as follows: 4 ELA, 4 Social Studies, 3 Science, 3 Mathematics, ½ Health, 1 Arts, 1 LOTE, 2 Physical Education, 3 ½ Electives.
  • Assessment: 3 required Regents exams with a score of 65 or better and 2 Regents exams with a score of 62-64 for which an appeal is granted by the local district per Commissioner’s Regulation section 100.5(d)(7) as follows: 1 Math, 1 Science, ELA, Global History and Geography, US History and Government

https://www.p12.nysed.gov/part100/pages/1005.html#regpasscore

Local Diploma,
Regents Diploma,
Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation (with or without Honors), with a Career and Technical Education Endorsement
All Student Populations
  • Credit: Completes all credit requirements as listed above for specific diploma types and completes an approved CTE program
  • Assessment: Achieves a passing score on State assessments as listed above for specific diploma types and successfully completes the technical assessment designated for the particular approved CTE program which the student has completed.
    https://www.p12.nysed.gov/part100/pages/1005.html#carteched

Nondiploma High School Exiting Credentials

Credential Type

Available to

Requirements

Career Development and Occupational Studies (CDOS) Commencement Credential

 

Students with disabilities other than those who are assessed using the NYS Alternate Assessment (NYSSA)

  • Completes a career plan; demonstrates attainment of the commencement level CDOS learning standards in the area of career exploration and development, integrated learning and universal foundation skills; satisfactorily completes the equivalent of 2 units of study (216 hours) in CTE coursework and work-based learning (including at least 54 hours of work-based learning); and has at least 1 completed employability profile;
    OR
  • Student meets criteria for a national work readiness credential

Credential may be a supplement to a regular diploma, or, if the student is unable to meet diploma standards, the credential may be awarded as the student’s exiting credential provided the student has attended school for not less than 12 years, excluding Kindergarten.
http://www.regents.nysed.gov/meetings/2013Meetings/April2013/413p12accesa1Revised.pdf

Skills and Achievement Commencement
Credential Students with severe disabilities that are assessed using NYSAA
All students with severe disabilities who attend school for not less than 12 years, excluding Kindergarten graduate with this credential which must be accompanied by a summary of the student’s levels of achievement in academic and career development and occupational studies.
https://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/publications/SACCmemo.htm
https://www.p12.nysed.gov/part100/pages/1006.html

1 Note: the low pass (55-64) option for general education students to earn a local diploma has been phased out and students who entered high school in 2008 and thereafter no longer have access to this option. There are still students in our K-12 system that entered grade 9 in 2007 or earlier and still have access to this option.

Seal of Biliteracy – Requirements to be determined

Last Updated: January 13, 2014