Regents authorize new diploma option for special ed students

On Board Online • November 5, 2012

By Pilar Sokol
Deputy General Counsel

At their October meeting, the state Board of Regents took emergency action to give school boards a new way to enable students with disabilities to graduate with a local high school diploma. The so-called “compensatory option” allows students with disabilities to “compensate” for a score of between 45-54 on certain Regents exams that are required for graduation by achieving a score of 65 or higher on a separate required examination.

The option is available beginning with the current school year.

Until now, students with disabilities that are unable to earn a Regents diploma have been able to graduate with a local high school diploma only if:

• They obtain a score of 55-64 on the required Regents exams, or
• They entered ninth grade before September 2011 and pass a Regents Competency Test (RCT) for each subject area in which they fail a required Regents exam.

The new compensatory option provides another alternative, subject to the following specified conditions:

• Students must obtain a score of 55 or higher on the English and math Regents exams.
• A score of 65 or higher on a single Regents exam cannot be used to compensate for more than one other separate required exam.
• Students must pass, in accordance with school passing grade requirements, the course for the subject area of the Regents exam in which they scored 45-54.
• Consistent with school attendance policy, students must have a satisfactory attendance rate during the year in which they receive the 45-54 score being compensated, exclusive of excused absences.

The compensatory option is not available to students with disabilities using the RCT safety net option (see table).

For more information, see www.regents.nysed.gov/meetings/2012Meetings/October2012/1012p12a1.pdf