The New York State Department of Education ("NYSED") determines the guidelines with which a student may graduate from a High School in New York State.

 

Their general credit requirements are as follows:

 

A student must have satisifactorily completed this minimum load of credit-bearing coursework in order to receive a Regents-endorsed New York State/New York City High School Dipolma:

 

• 8 credits in English Language Arts ("ELA")

• 2 credits in a Language Other Than English ("LOTE")*

• 8 credits in Social Studies/History, broken down as follows:

  • 4 credit semesters in Global History & Geography

  • 2 credit semesters in US History

  • 1 credit semester in Participation in Government

  • 1 credit semester in Economics

• 6 credits in Laboratory-based Science, broken down as follows:

  • 2 credit semesters in Life Science (i.e.: Biology or Living Environment)

  • 2 credit semesters in Physical Science (i.e.: Earth Science, Physics)

  • 2 credit semesters in either Life Science or Physical Science

• 6 credits in Mathematics

  • Must include either Geometry or Algebra II/Trignometry

• 2 credits in Art

• 4 credits (broken down into half credit or .58 credit increments depending on the student's course sequence) of Physical Education

• 1 credit of Health

• 7 credits of electives*

 

TOTAL CREDITS: 44

 

Regents Examination requirements:

 

In addition to the 44 credit requirement for graduation, all General Education students (with the exception of students that were expected to graduate in 2011 or earlier that are expecting and are eligible to obtain a Local [New York City] I.E.P. Diploma) are required to pass a Regents Examination in the following subject areas, with a 65 or greater**:

 

• Comprehensive English Regents ("ELA")

• Integrated Algebra I Regents***

• Global History & Geography Regents

• U.S. History & Government Regents

• Any Laboratory-based Science Regents***

• Language Other Than English Exam***

 

* This credit requirement changes if the student is attempting to obtain an Advanced Regents Diploma.  See this document for further information.

 

** There are different general examination requirements for students attempting to obtain an Advanced Regents Diploma.  See this document for further information.

 

*** There are further examination requirements in this subject area that apply if a student is attempting to obtain an Advanced Regents Diploma.  See this document for further information.