Local Diploma - Liberty Central School District

There are three local diploma options for general education students, students with disabilities and English language learners. Requirements vary for each.

All students can appeal up to two Regents exam scores that fall below but within a certain point range of the 65 passing score to earn a local diploma. To seek an appeal, students must:

- Take the Regents exam under appeal at least twice.
- Have at least one score on the exam under appeal within the acceptable point range: 60-64 for general education students; 55-50 for English language learners seeking an appeal on an English language arts exam; 52-54 for students with disabilities.
- Take advantage of academic help provided by the school in the Regents exam subject.
- Pass the related course.
- Be recommended for appeal by the student’s teacher or department head.

Local diploma (general education students through appeal)
- Available to: All students.
- Course requirements:
  - 4 credits of English language arts
  - 4 credits of social studies
  - 3 credits of science
  - 3 credits of mathematics
  - 5 credits of health
  - 1 credit of arts
  - 1 credit of language other than English^*
  - 2 credits of physical education
  - 5 credits of electives
    22 total credits^**
- Exam requirements: Students must meet one of the following options:
  - A student must pass at least three Regents exams with a score of 65 or better and two Regents exams with a score of 60-64 (for which the school district grants an appeal): one math, one science, one social studies, one English language arts and one pathway^*** assessment; or
  - A student must pass at least two required Regents exams with a score of 65 or better and two Regents exams with a score of 60-64 (for which an appeal is granted by the school district) as follows: one math, one science, one social studies, one English language arts and satisfy the CDOS commencement credential requirements.

Local diploma (for students with disabilities)
- Available to: Students with disabilities with an individualized education program (IEP) or if included on the student’s Section 504 accommodation plan.
- Course requirements:
  - 4 credits of English language arts
  - 4 credits of social studies
  - 3 credits of science
  - 3 credits of math
  - 5 credits of health
  - 1 credit of arts
  - 1 credit of language other than English^*
  - 2 credits of physical education
  - 5 credits of electives
    22 total credits^**
- Exam requirements: Students must meet one of the following four options:
  - Low Pass Safety Net Option (provides a way for students with disabilities to earn diplomas if they fail to earn passing scores on their assessments):
    - A student must pass five required Regents exams with a score of 55 or better as follows: one math, one science, one social studies, one English language arts and either one pathway^*** assessment or satisfy the CDOS commencement credential requirements.
  - Low Pass Safety Net and Appeal Option:
    - A student must pass three required Regents exams with a score of 55 or better and two Regents exams with a score of 52-54 (for which the school district grants an appeal): one math, one science, one social studies, one English language arts and one pathway^*** assessment; or
    - A student must pass two required Regents exams with a score of 55 or better and two Regents exams with a score of 52-54 (for which the school district grants an appeal): one math, one science, one social studies, one English language arts and satisfy the CDOS commencement credential requirements.
  - Regents Competency Test (RCT) Safety Net Option for students entering grade 9 prior to September 2011: A student must receive a passing score on the corresponding RCT if the student does not achieve a score of 55 or higher on the Regents examination.
  - Compensatory Safety Net Option: A student who receives scores between 45 and 54 on one or more of the five required Regents exams, other than the English language arts or math, must make up for the low score with a score of 65 or higher on another required Regents exam. (Note: A score of at least 55 — or an approved appeal score of 52-54 — must be earned on both the English language arts and one math exam. A score of 65 or higher on a single examination may not be used to compensate for more than one examination for which a score of 45-54 is earned.)

Local diploma (through superintendent’s determination)
- Available to: Students with disabilities with IEPs (does not include students with Section 504 accommodation plans).
- Course requirements:
  - 4 credits of English language arts
  - 4 credits of social studies
  - 3 credits of science
  - 3 credits of math
  - 5 credits of health
  - 1 credit of arts
  - 1 credit of Language other than English^*
  - 2 credits of physical education
  - 5 credits of electives
    22 total credits^**
- Exam requirements: Students must meet each of the following:
  - A score of 55 or better on both the English language arts and one math Regents exams, or a successful appeal of a score between 52 and 54; and
  - Participation in at least one social studies Regents exam, one science Regents exam and either satisfactory completion of the CDOS commencement credential requirements or one pathway^*** exam for which no passing score was obtained utilizing the low pass, safety net, the compensatory safety net or the 52-54 appeal; and
  - A superintendent’s determination that a student has graduation-level proficiency in a subject area despite an inability to demonstrate this proficiency through the assessment required for graduation. This process can only be started when a parent or guardian sends a written request for this determination to the superintendent. If a superintendent determines a student does meet the requirements for graduation, the district must inform the student and parents in writing that the student will no longer be eligible for a free appropriate public education after graduation. If a superintendent determines a student has not met the requirements, the district must inform the student and parents in writing that the student has the right to attend school until he or she receives a diploma or turns 21, whichever comes first.

Local diploma (for English language learners)
- Available to: Students who are English language learners.
- Course requirements:
  - 4 credits of English language arts
  - 4 credits of social studies
  - 3 credits of science
  - 3 credits of math
  - 5 credits of health
  - 1 credit of arts
  - 1 credit of language other than English^*
  - 2 credits of physical education
  - 5 credits of electives
    22 total credits^**
- Exam requirements: Students must meet one of the following options:
  - A student must pass four required Regents exams with a score of 65 or better and the English language arts Regents exam with a score of 55-59 for which the school district grants an appeal; or
  - A student must pass three required Regents exams with a score of 65 or better; one Regents exam with a score of 60-64 and the English language arts Regents exam with a score of 55-59. For both the 60-64 and the 55-59 scores, the school district must grant an appeal in the following: one math, one science, one social studies, one English language arts and either one pathway^*** assessment or satisfy the CDOS commencement credential requirements

^*Students with a disability may be excused from the language other than English requirement if stipulated in their IEPs, but must still earn 22 units of credit to graduate.

^**Although New York state requires a minimum of 22 course credits, school districts can impose greater requirements than the state minimum.

^***Multiple pathways

The state Board of Regents recognizes the importance of engaging students’ interests in rigorous and relevant academic programs in alternate areas, including: the arts; languages other than English (LOTE)/bi-literacy; career and technical education (CTE); the humanities; and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM); and career development and occupational studies (CDOS).

There are currently five 4+1 pathway assessment options that require students to pass Regents exams in English, math, science and social studies, plus a fifth assessment that can include:

A New York State Education Department (NYSED)-approved arts assessment (arts pathway). Nine exams are available.
A NYSED-approved foreign language assessment (LOTE/bi-literacy pathway). Exams are still in the review process.
A NYSED-approved CTE assessment (CTE pathway). There are 34 exams currently available.
An additional Regents exam in a different social studies or one of eight NYSED-approved alternatives in English language arts and social studies (humanities pathway).
An additional Regents exam in a different math or science course, or one of 13 NYSED-approved alternative exams in math and science (STEM pathway).

A sixth 4+1 graduation pathway is the career development occupational studies (CDOS) pathway. The “4+CDOS” pathway requires students to pass Regents exams in English, math, science and social studies, plus meet the requirements to earn the New York State CDOS credential.

Note: This information is current as of June 2017; it is anticipated that additional alternative assessments will become available under the different pathway options.