Regents Diploma with Honors

To earn a Regents diploma with honors, a student needs to have a computed average score of 90 or higher on all Regents examinations required for the Regents diploma (no rounding up is permitted). The assessment requirements include the following Regents examinations or NYSED-Approved Regents Examination Alternatives:​

• English language arts (ELA)
• one mathematics
• one science
• one social studies
• one pathway  

In instances where students received exemptions from Regents examinations, the calculation for the honors endorsement will be dependent upon the number of scored Regents examinations the student has (applicable to the diploma type).

• Students with a minimum of three scored Regents examinations applicable to the diploma
  • In instances where students have at least three scored Regents examinations to be included in the assessments required for the diploma type, exemptions due to COVID-19 are removed from the calculation. If the computed average of the Regents examination scores required for the diploma (not including exemptions) equals 90 or above, the student earned the honors endorsement.
• Students with fewer than three scored Regents examinations applicable to the diploma
  • The student’s final course grade for each exempted Regents examination will be substituted in the calculation for honors. If the computed average of the scored Regents examinations and the final course grades for courses for which exemptions were granted equals 90 or above, the student earned the honors endorsement.

NYSED-Approved Regents Examination Alternatives

Students who substitute more than 2 NYSED-Approved Regents Examination Alternatives for these required Regents exams are not eligible for the honors endorsement.

Transfer Students

Students who transfer to a New York State high school for the first time in grades 11  or 12, and have either one or two Regents examination(s) waived, may receive a Regents diploma with honors.  The requirements to receive a high school diploma with honors remain the same, except with a fewer number of required Regents examinations and with appropriate annotations on transcripts and permanent records. 

Computing the Honors Endorsement (Examples with the Regents Diploma)

Example 1

This student earned a Regents diploma with honors.  The student's computed average equals 90 (97 + 76 + 99 + 88 = 360; 360/4 = 90).  The CDOS commencement pathway represents the final diploma requirement; therefore, the average is based only on the 4 Regents exam scores. 

Example 2

This student earned a Regents diploma with honors.  The student's computed average equals 90 (65 + 100 + 95 + 96 + 98 = 454; 454/4 = 90.8).  The additional math Regents exam represents the pathway for this student; therefore, the average is based on the 5 Regents exam scores.

Example 3 (with exemptions)

This student earned a Regents diploma with honors. Since the student has fewer than three scored Regents examinations, the student’s final course grades for the courses for which exemptions were granted must be substituted in the calculation for the honors endorsement.

The student's computed average equals 91.8 (94 + 92 + 89 + 96 + 88 ÷ 5). Since the computed average of the two Regents examination scores (92, 89) and the final course grades (94, 96, 88) equals 90 or above, the student earned the Regents diploma with honors.

Example 4 (with exemptions and additional assessments)

This student earned a Regents diploma with honors. *Since the student has more earned scores and/or exemptions than are required for the diploma type, the most beneficial combination of earned scores and/or exemptions is used. Since the Regents Exam in Living Environment is additional (and not required for the student to meet the assessment requirements), it does not need to be included in the honors computation. Since there are then only two earned scores (applicable to the diploma type), the final course averages for the exemptions are included, and the student earned the honors endorsement.

The student's computed average equals 91.8 (94 + 92 + 89 + 96 + 88 ÷ 5). Since the computed average of the two Regents examination scores (92, 89) and the final course grades (94, 96, 88) equals 90 or above, the student earned the Regents diploma with honors.