An English Language Arts (ELA) Exam is given to all students in grades 3-8.

Those students wishing to obtain a Regents Diploma or an Advanced Regents Diploma must satisfy the following requirements as mandated by New York State:

a) English.

• for students who first enter grade nine prior to September 1996, by passing either the Regents Competency Test in Reading and the Regents Competency Test in Writing, or the Regents Comprehensive Examination in English; or
• for students who first enter grade nine in September 1996 and thereafter, by passing the Regents Comprehensive Examination in English. For purposes of a Regents endorsed diploma a score of 65 shall be considered passing. For a local diploma a score of 55-64, as determined by the school, also may be considered passing; up through the 2007 - 2008 school year; or
• students with disabilities who first enter grade nine in or after September 1996 and prior to September 2010 and who fail the Regents Comprehensive Examination in English, the English requirements for a local diploma may be met by passing the Regents Competency Test in Reading and the Regents Competency Test in Writing or their equivalents. For students with disabilities who first enter grade nine in September 2005 and thereafter, the English requirements for a local diploma may also be met by passing the Regents comprehensive examination in English with a score of 55-64. This provision shall apply only to students with disabilities who are entitled to attend school pursuant to Education Law sections 3202 or 4402(5).

The full document can be accessed at:

Section 100.5 Diploma Requirements

The links to the right provide information about the administration of the tests as well as links to the ELA Core curriculum in NYS for students in grades K-12