The New York State Education Department has announced plans to sunset the Regents exams, a requirement for high school graduation since 1878. Under the new plan, students will no longer need to pass the three-hour exams to graduate, but can opt to take them to demonstrate proficiency in meeting state learning standards. Currently, students must earn 22 credits and pass at least four Regents exams for a Regents diploma, or seven state exams for the advanced diploma designation, which is seen as a boost to college applications. However, efforts led by NYSED Commissioner Betty Rosa have argued that graduation rates remain tied to race, poverty, and special needs, and that a single test is not sufficient to measure student success. NYSED will conduct public forums from July to October and present a timeline and considerations to the Board of Regents in November. The board must approve any changes to graduation requirements. Existing requirements, including Regents exams, remain in place for now. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)