graduation requirements for english language learners (ells)

Amended Graduation Requirements for English Language Learners (ELLs)

Adopted by NYS Board of Regents in March 2016

Presenter: Terri Brady-Méndez Program Administrator ESL/Bilingual Programs Eastern Suffolk BOCES

L.I. Bilingual/ENL Coordinators’ Meeting Western Suffolk BOCES Conference Center

Wheatley Heights, NY

Feb. 14, 2017

2 L.I. RBE-RN Presentation – Feb. 2017 Source: Expanding Graduation Pathways for All Students – Board of Regents Mtg., Jan. 2017

Amendment to CR Part 100.5 (d) (7)

L.I. RBE-RN Presentation – Jan. 2017 4

Commissioner’s Regulations Part 100 currently allows for all students, ELLs and non-ELLs, to be eligible to apply for the Regents Diploma via appeal if they:

• Score 65+ on four required Regents exams; AND

• Score 60-64 on one Regents exam and successfully appeal the score.

OR

• Score 65+ on three required Regents exams; AND

• Score 60-64 on one Regents exam and successfully appeal the score; AND

• Meet all the requirements of the CDOS Commencement Credential


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Regents Diploma (through appeal) All Student Populations

Credit: 22 units of credit distributed as follows: 4 ELA, 4 social studies, 3 science, 3 mathematics, ½ health, 1 arts, 1 language other than English (LOTE)*, 2 physical education, 3 ½ electives Assessment: • 4 required Regents exams (1) with a score of 65 or better and 1 Regents exam

with a score of 60-64 for which an appeal is granted by the local district per Commissioner’s Regulation 100.5(d)(7) as follows: 1 Math, 1 Science, 1 social studies, ELA and 1 Pathway Assessment ( 2) ;

or • 3 required Regents exams (1) with a score of 65 or better and 1 Regents exam with

a score of 60-64 for which an appeal is granted by the local district per Commissioner’s Regulation 100.5(d)(7) as follows: 1 Math, 1 Science, 1 social studies, ELA and meet all the requirements of the CDOS Commencement Credential

Note: Non Regents Pathway exams are not subject to the Appeal Process http://www.p12.nysed.gov/part100/pages/1005.html#regpasscore

L.I. RBE-RN Presentation – Feb. 2017

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/part100/pages/1005.html#regpasscore


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Commissioner’s Regulations Part 100 currently allows for all students, ELLs and non-ELLs, to be eligible to apply for the Local Diploma via appeal if they:

• Score 65+ on three required Regents exams; AND

• Score 60-64 on two Regents exam and successfully appeal the score.

OR

• Score 65+ on two required Regents exams; AND

• Score 60-64 on two Regents exams and successfully appeal the scores; AND

• Meet all the requirements of the CDOS Commencement Credential



L.I. RBE-RN Presentation – Dec. 2016 7

Local Diploma (through Appeal) All Student Populations

Credit: 22 units of credit distributed as follows: 4 ELA, 4 social studies, 3 science, 3 mathematics, ½ health, 1 arts, 1 language other than English (LOTE)*, 2 physical education, 3 ½ electives.

Assessment: • 3 required Regents exams with a score of 65 or better and 2 Regents exams with a

score of 60-64 for which an appeal is granted by the local district per Commissioner’s Regulation 100.5(d)(7) as follows: 1 Math, 1 Science, 1 Social Studies, ELA, and 1 Pathway Assessment (2) ;

or • 2 required Regents exams with a score of 65 or better and 2 Regents exams with a

score of 60-64 for which an appeal is granted by the local district per Commissioner’s Regulation 100.5(d)(7) as follows: 1 Math, 1 Science, 1 Social Studies, ELA, and meet all the requirements for the CDOS Commencement Credential

Note: Non Regents Pathway exams are not subject to the Appeal process. http://www.p12.nysed.gov/part100/pages/1005.html#regpasscore http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/gradreq/CurrentAppealForm.pdf

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/part100/pages/1005.html#regpasscore

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/gradreq/CurrentAppealForm.pdf


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Commissioner’s Regulations Part 100 now allows English Language Learners (ELLs) to be eligible to apply for the Local Diploma via appeal if they:

• Score 65+ on the 4 required Regents exams; :and

• Score 55-59 on ELA Regents exam and successfully appeal the score.

OR

• Score 65+ on three required Regents exams; and

• Score 60-64 on one Regents exam and successfully appeal the score; and

• Score between 55-59 on the ELA Regents exam and successfully appeal the score.

Note: For both the 60-64 and the 55-59 scores, an appeal is granted by the local district per Commissioner’s Regulation 100.5(d)(7) as follows: 1 Math, 1 Science, 1 Social Studies, ELA, and either 1 Pathway Assessment (2) or meet the requirements of the CDOS Commencement Credential.

Revised/Approved Amendment for ELLs



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Local Diploma English Language Learners Only

Credit: 22 units of credit distributed as follows: 4 ELA, 4 social studies, 3 science, 3 mathematics, ½ health, 1 arts, 1 language other than English (LOTE)*, 2 physical education, 3 ½ electives.

Assessment: • 4 required Regents exams (1) with a score of 65 or better and the ELA Regents exam

with a score of 55-59 for which an appeal is granted by the local district per Commissioner’s Regulation 100.5(d)(7);

or • 3 required Regents exams with a score of 65 or better, 1 Regents exam with a score

of 60-64, and the ELA Regents exam with a score of 55-59. For both the 60-64 and the 55-59 scores, an appeal is granted by the local district per Commissioner’s Regulation 100.5(d)(7) as follows: 1 Math, 1 Science, 1 Social Studies, ELA, and either 1 Pathway Assessment ( 2) or meet the requirements of the CDOS Commencement Credential.

Note: Students who choose the CDOS pathway may still appeal an ELA score of 55-59 and on other Regents exam score of 60-64.

http://www.regents.nysed.gov/meetings/2015Meetings/February/215p12a1.pdf

Note: Non Regents Pathway exams are not subject to the Appeal process


http://www.regents.nysed.gov/meetings/2015Meetings/February/215p12a1.pdf


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English Language Learners who first entered school in the United States in grade 9 or above, seeking to appeal with a score between 55 and 59 on the required Regents exam in English language arts must meet the following criteria to demonstrate that they meet the State Learning Standards:

i. Have taken the required Regents examination in English language arts under appeal at least two times;

ii. Have been identified as an English Language Learner at the time the student took the Regents examination in English language arts the second time;

iii. Have at least one score on the required Regents examination in English language arts between 55 and 59;

iv. Present evidence that the student has taken advantage of academic help provided by the school in English language arts;

v. Have a course average in English language arts (as evidenced in the official transcript that records grades achieved by the student) that meets or exceeds the required passing grade by the school;

vi. Be recommended for an exemption to the graduation requirement by the student’s teacher or department chairperson in English language arts.

Eligibility Criteria for ELLs to Appeal



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• The appeal may be initiated by the ELL student, or by the student’s parent/guardian, or by the student’s teacher and must be submitted to the student’s school principal.

• Through this appeal, the student seeks a waiver of the graduation assessment requirement in the subject area. Approval of this appeal will not change the student’s score on the Regents examination under appeal.

• ELL Students who are granted an appeal on the ELA with a score between 55-59 and who fulfill all other course and testing requirements will receive a local diploma.

Who may appeal to graduate with a lower score on a Regents Examination?



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• The school principal shall chair a standing committee comprised of three teachers (not to include the student's teacher in the subject area of the Regents examination under appeal) and two school administrators (one of whom shall be the school principal).

• The standing committee shall review an appeal within 10 school days of its receipt and make a recommendation to the school superintendent to accept or deny the appeal.

• The standing committee may interview the teacher or department chairperson who recommended the appeal, and may also interview the student making the appeal to determine that he or she has demonstrated the knowledge and skills required under the State learning standards in the subject area in question.

• The school superintendent shall make a final determination to accept or deny the appeal.

• The decision to grant or deny an appeal is made at the district level and is not subject to State Education Department (SED) approval.

How is the Appeal Process Conducted?



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• The form, Appeal to Graduate with a Lower Score on the Regents Examination, which includes General Information and the annually required form for the district, is available on-line at the following URL:

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/gradreq/DiplomaRequirements/CurrentAppealForm.pdf

• The student’s individual Appeal Form must be maintained in the District’s records. It is not required to be sent to NYSED.

• On an annual basis at the conclusion of each school year, the district is required to submit a Summary of Records of Appeals to NYSED’s Office of Information and Reporting Services. (This form does NOT require individual student information; it is simply a count of student appeals granted by Regents Examination type.)

• Questions related to the appeals process can be forwarded to the graduation requirement information e-mail box at [email protected]

Appeal Process: Required Forms & Record Retention




mailto:[email protected]

Additional Resources


• General information on assessments can be found at the Office of State Assessment’s

website: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/assessment/

• Information regarding Common Core Regents Examinations can be found at

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/assessment/commoncore/transitionccregents1113rev.pdf

• Information on English Language programs can be found at the Office of Bilingual and World Languages’ website: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/biling/

• Information on graduation requirements and safety net options for students with

disabilities can be found on the Office of Special Education website at

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/gradrequirements/home.html

• Information on the CDOS Commencement Credential guidance and information for parents and

employers can be found at http://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/gradrequirements/home.html

• Information on Pennsylvania’s Project-Based Assessments can be found at

https://www.pdesas.org/Page?pageId=1

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/assessment/



























































































http://www.p12.nysed.gov/biling/




















































































































































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