“Preparing Before Proceeding: A Call to Delay NY Inspires” warns that New York’s graduation reform lacks the standards, resources, and equity safeguards needed to ensure every student graduates ready for college and careers. 

 NEW YORK, NY — EdTrust-New York today released,” Preparing Before Proceeding: A Call to Delay NY Inspires,” a new report urging state leaders to delay implementation of NY Inspires for two years and develop a stronger, more equitable plan for transforming New York’s high school graduation system. 

NY Inspires aims to modernize graduation requirements through competency-based learning and performance-based assessments that are aligned with the Portrait of a Graduate framework. EdTrust-New York supports efforts to create more innovative and meaningful learning experiences that prepare students for college, careers, and civic life. However, the report warns that New York has not established the clear standards, implementation of guidance, funding, and equity safeguards necessary to ensure this ambitious reform succeeds for all students. 

“New York must prepare its schools and students before it proceeds with a transformation of this scale. We support the goal of creating a more meaningful and modern graduation system, but the state must first establish clear expectations, invest in district and educator capacity, and protect every student’s access to a rigorous education. A two-year delay would give New York the time to build a system that delivers its promise for all students,” said Arlen Benjamin-Gomez, Executive Director at EdTrust-New York. 

A major reform without adequate preparation risks deepening inequities 

The report highlights the urgency of addressing New York’s existing academic challenges before overhauling graduation requirements. On the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), only 31% of New York eighth graders demonstrated proficiency and above in reading and 26% in math.  

Against this backdrop and a lack of clear guidance from NYSED, EdTrust-New York warns that NY Inspires could exacerbate inequities across the state’s more than 700 school districts and 1,300 schools serving high school students. Without consistent statewide standards, well-supported educators, and reliable measures of student learning, students could face vastly different graduation pathways depending on where they attend school. 

The report identifies six major risks if state leaders move forward without addressing these concerns: 

• Widening opportunity gaps: Wealthier districts may have greater resources to offer rigorous pathways, advanced coursework, and performance-based learning opportunities. 

• Eroding confidence in a New York diploma: Colleges and employers may struggle to compare graduates’ knowledge and skills across districts. 

• Lowering academic expectations: Districts may adopt less rigorous pathways without clear statewide standards and oversight. 

• Masking persistent learning gaps: Reducing the role of Regents exams without credible alternatives could obscure gaps in student achievement and readiness. 

• Straining district and educator capacity: Schools need time, funding, professional learning, and technical assistance to develop and evaluate new assessments. 

• Deepening the math and literacy crisis: Graduation reform could divert attention and resources from strengthening foundational skills in grades K–8. 

Experiences in other states reinforce the need for careful implementation. Maine reversed its statewide proficiency-based diploma mandate in 2018 after districts encountered implementation challenges. Vermont has moved toward common statewide graduation requirements following concerns about inconsistent local standards. Pennsylvania’s multiple graduation pathways have also raised concerns about disparities in the rigor of options students pursue across communities. 

These experiences demonstrate that changing how students earn a diploma does not automatically improve what they learn or ensure they are prepared for success after high school. 

EdTrust-New York calls for a two-year delay and phased implementation 

EdTrust-New York urges the New York State Education Department (NYSED) and the Board of Regents to delay implementation for two years and consider a phased rollout beginning with ninth graders in the 2028–29 school year in strategically selected districts across the state. 

During the proposed pause, state leaders should take four key actions: 

1. Convene a representative statewide task force. Bring together educators, district leaders, students, families, higher education institutions, workforce partners, and education advocates to build on the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Commission and develop an implementation plan that: 1) establishes clear statewide expectations; 2) phases in reform at a sustainable pace; 3) invests in implementation capacity; and 4) makes equitable access and outcomes a condition of success.
2. Strengthen performance-based assessments. Build on the experience of New York’s Consortium Schools to develop and strengthen rigorous assessment models, establish common scoring standards, and ensure student work receives consistent and comparable evaluation across schools and districts.
3. Invest in K–8 math and reading. Expand evidence-based strategies, including high-dosage tutoring, high-quality instructional materials, universal screening, and targeted interventions, so more students enter high school with the foundational skills they need to succeed.
4. Establish a statewide longitudinal data system. Build the infrastructure to track student outcomes from early childhood through higher education and the workforce, allowing state leaders to evaluate whether NY Inspires and new graduation pathways prepare students for long-term success

 New York must get implementation right 

EdTrust-New York believes NY Inspires can help create a more engaging, relevant, and effective education system. But the state must ensure that every student, regardless of race, income, disability, language background, or ZIP code, has access to rigorous learning opportunities and graduates prepared for what comes next. 

A two-year delay would give New York time to establish clear expectations, strengthen foundational academic skills, prepare educators, and build the accountability systems needed to measure success. The report emphasizes that the initiative’s success should depend not on how quickly the state launches a new system, but on whether every pathway provides students with a meaningful opportunity to graduate ready for college, careers, and civic life. 

The full report,” Preparing Before Proceeding: A Call to Delay NY Inspires,” is available HERE 

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About EdTrust-New York  

EdTrust-New York is dedicated to eliminating equity and opportunity gaps that hinder students from reaching their full potential. We focus on ensuring that students of color, including Black, Latinx, Native American, and Asian American and Pacific Islander students, and those from low-income backgrounds achieve high levels of success from early childhood through college. For more information, visit EdTrustNY.org.