NEW YORK, NY – EdTrust-New York supports the state’s new Portrait of a Graduate, particularly its focus on culturally responsive education and real-world readiness. However, we remain deeply concerned that eliminating the Regents exams and implementing new graduation measures could weaken educational equity.

The Portrait of a Graduate names academic preparedness as one of six essential attributes. Yet, recent state data shows that fewer than half of Black, Latinx, and low-income 8th graders are proficient in math and reading. Without a strong academic foundation, students will likely struggle to meet the portrait’s other goals or thrive after high school.

The proposal to remove Regents exams as a graduation requirement raises serious concerns about how the state will ensure students are truly ready for college, career, and life. This change could also widen existing disparities between districts that can afford to implement multiple measures of academic preparedness and those that cannot.

We urge the state to embed strong equity safeguards into this initiative. EdTrust-New York remains committed to working with NYSED and other stakeholders to ensure that every student graduates ready to succeed in the future.

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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.