New York State is one of only 12 states that still require exit exams for graduation. This year, as State Education Department officials and the Board of Regents discussed changes to the Superintendent Determination, we were pleased to hear the Commissioner and Regents repeatedly acknowledge the urgency of eliminating Regents exams as a barrier to graduation for the many students with disabilities who can demonstrate mastery of State Standards through a variety of other measures but are unable to pass these exams. However, Regents exams are a barrier to graduation not just for students with IEPs, but for many more college- and career-ready students with and without disabilities. These students also need meaningful pathways to graduation that do not rely on high-stakes exit exams. Moreover, although the expanded Superintendent Determination option opened the door to post-secondary opportunities for many students with IEPs, it further complicated an already complex and confusing array of State graduation requirements.

Given the importance and complexity of these issues, the Coalition urges the convening of a State Commission to examine New York’s graduation requirements and to propose meaningful, rigorous, and equitable graduation pathways for all students. This Commission, first proposed by members of the Board of Regents at the October 2017 Regents meeting, should be tasked with identifying the skills and knowledge necessary for college, career, and civic engagement, and with proposing meaningful, rigorous ways to demonstrate mastery of these standards that do not rely on five high-stakes tests.