Candidates, Regents defend shifting New York graduation rules and special-ed pathways

Candidates for seats on the New York State Board of Regents and legislators at a joint hearing pressed for changes to how the state defines a high school diploma and how that definition affects students with disabilities.

The focus was on ongoing Board of Regents work to expand pathways to graduation beyond traditional Regents exams, a multiyear effort commonly described in the hearing as the Portrait of a Graduate. Proponents said the reforms aim to reduce the number of students who leave high school without credentials despite passing course work; critics warned against any move that could be perceived as lowering standards.

Regent Tellis, a long-serving member of the board, said the work emerged after statewide forums asked what the public wants students to know and be able to do when they graduate. "All means all," she said, arguing the Portrait of a Graduate is intended to prevent students who meet coursework expectations from being denied diplomas solely because they did not pass a Regents test. Tellis also noted the board's Blue Ribbon Commission and pilots that test alternative assessments and portfolio approaches.

Several candidates described personal or professional ties to the issue. A Yonkers applicant, identified in the hearing as Mr. Fernandez, said his family's experience with Regents diplomas shaped his view: "I have a Regents diploma," Fernandez told the panel, and he urged flexibility to meet diverse student needs. Candidate Melanie Dumas said her son's CDOS credential had limited postsecondary opportunities and called for clearer, more inclusive pathways.

Other witnesses and applicants expressed concern about the 3-to-8 state assessments and their role in early identification of gaps. Keith Wiley, a middle-school math teacher interviewing for a Regents seat, said he had greater concern about the 3-to-8 state assessments than high-school Regents exams: "The state assessments 3 to 8 ... that's where I have a problem," he said, citing test complexity and how bundled standards can disadvantage students with limited reading skills.

Legislators on the panel pressed for safeguards. Senator Mayer and others asked whether changes would reduce academic expectations; Regents and applicants responded that the intent is to preserve rigor while broadening valid ways for students to demonstrate mastery, including locally verified pathways and accommodations for students with individualized education programs (IEPs).

The hearing also covered the impact of prior changes. Tellis recounted past policy changes that allowed superintendents and principals to certify that a student had met course-level expectations even if a Regents test was not passed, an approach she said was adopted to avoid excluding students who had mastered classroom content.

No formal votes or policy decisions were taken during the hearing. Panelists said the Board of Regents continues to pilot alternative assessments, consult employer and higher-education stakeholders and review pathways such as the CDOS credential and local diploma options. Legislators asked for continued transparency and timelines for any proposed rule changes so districts, parents and higher-education institutions can prepare.

Looking ahead, applicants said they would support continued piloting of portfolio and performance-based assessments, strengthen accommodations and work with the Legislature to avoid unintended consequences if federal accountability rules change.

Ending: The hearing did not adopt policy; applicants were told the Legislature would notify them about appointments in the coming weeks. The discussion signals continued momentum at the Board of Regents to finalize the Portrait of a Graduate and related graduation-rule changes while lawmakers and advocates press for protections for students with disabilities and clarity for colleges and employers.