Office of Instructional Support
On Tuesday September 12, 2017 the Board of Regents adopted regulatory changes impacting the Physical Education graduation requirements for students who transfer to a New York State high school from outside the state, and for students who require more than 4 years to graduate. The full board item and revised language can be found at http://www.regents.nysed.gov/common/regents/files/917p12a2.pdf
Prior to the revision, the diploma requirements included 2 units of credit in Physical Education (PE) and students must participate in PE every semester they are enrolled in school, even if they have met the required 2 credits and remain in school beyond their senior year. Typically students earn ¼ unit of PE credit each semester to reach the 2 unit requirement by the end of senior year.
The revised regulations require students who transfer in to a New York State school from another state earn a proportional number of PE credits based upon the number of semesters they will be in the New York State school. Transfer students will be required to earn ¼ unit of credit for each semester they are enrolled in the New York State high school through the end of their senior year or 8th semester. For example a student who transfers to a New York State high school in grade 11 will have to enroll in PE each semester, and will be required to earn 1 credit (¼ unit x 4 semesters) in PE in order to graduate.
In addition, the revised rule allows students who have earned the appropriate number of PE credits for graduation, and have been in high school at least 8 semesters, to discontinue enrollment in PE if they are required to continue in high school beyond 4 years (8 semesters) in order to meet other diploma requirements.
The following are some frequently asked questions related to the change in the Physical Education requirements for transfer students.
- What are the PE requirements based upon a student’s date of entry into a NYS high school from outside the State?
Answer:
|
# Semesters Expected in a NYS School |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
|
Minimum number of PE credits required for graduation |
1/4 |
1/2 |
3/4 |
1 |
1 1/4 |
1 1/2 |
1 3/4 |
2 |
- If a student transfers to a New York State (NYS) high school with some accumulated credit in PE, can they still be exempt from some or all of the two required credits for graduation?
Answer: Upon entry to a NYS high school, counselors should calculate the student’s PE requirement based upon the number of semesters expected to be spent in the NYS School, regardless of the number of credits a student brings with them. A student who enters a NYS high school must enroll in PE every semester they are in the NYS high school through their senior year AND must earn ¼ unit of credit for each semester completed in the New York State high school.
- I have a student who transferred into NY State as a senior with 2 credits of PE. May this student be exempt from PE during her senior year?
Answer: No. All students must enroll in PE upon entry into a NYS high school until they reach the end of their senior year or until they graduate whichever occurs first.
- If a student transfers from a nonpublic high school within New York State to a public high school within New York State, do the PE exemptions apply?
Answer: No. The PE exemption applies only to students who are transferring from outside New York
- May a student double up in PE in a semester in order to finish their requirement prior to the end of their senior year?
Answer: A student may take extra PE courses as electives, but must still enroll in PE every semester they are in school until they reach the end of their senior year.
- May a student discontinue enrollment in PE if they have to return to school for a fifth year in order to meet the graduation requirements?
Answer: Yes as long as the student has earned the required number of credits for PE per the chart in question 1.
- If a student enters a NYS school in grade 12 for example, and fails a semester long PE course resulting in no course credit, must they make it up in order to meet the graduation requirements.
Answer: If the student has not accumulated the required number of credits for graduation they must make up the failed PE course.
- If a student graduates from high school in fewer than 8 semesters (early), must the student meet the required number of PE credits?
Answer: The student needs to meet the required number of credits based upon the number of semesters they are in a NYS high school per the chart in question 1. If they entered a NY high school in grade 9 and graduate in 7 semesters, their PE requirement is 1 ¾ credit; 6 semesters would be 1 ½ credits and so on.
