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NY Inspires

The Blue Ribbon Commission on Graduation Measures

NY Inspires: A Plan to Transform Education in New York State is the New York State Education Department's (NYSED) comprehensive roadmap for transforming graduation requirements by 2029. It translates the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Graduation Measures into a phased, statewide implementation plan built around four major transformations. This page is LI RBERN's home base for understanding the initiative, its origins, and what it means for our districts and multilingual learners.
 

 

A Voice From Our Team

Dr. Jordan Gonzalez, Administrative Coordinator here at Long Island RBERN, served as a member of the New York State Blue Ribbon Commission on Graduation Measures — the 68-member statewide commission whose work shaped NY Inspires. That means our team had a direct hand in the recommendations behind this initiative, and a firsthand understanding of the thinking driving it.

 

What Is NY Inspires?

NYSED presented NY Inspires to the Board of Regents on November 4, 2024. It is New York's plan to modernize what a high school diploma requires and how students earn one — built directly on the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Graduation Measures (see below). Current graduation requirements and the three-tiered diploma system remain fully in effect while the rollout continues: nothing changes overnight, and districts will receive phased guidance from NYSED at each step.

  • Fifth graders in the 2025–26 school year are the first cohort expected to follow the full NY Inspires implementation as they move through high school.
  • Full statewide alignment is targeted for students entering grade 9 in 2029–30.

Learn more directly from the source: NYSED's NY Inspires page  |  ESBOCES: NYS Graduation Measures Initiative recap |  ESBOCES: NY Inspires Website

 

The Four Transformations

NY Inspires is built around four major transformations. Each has its own page — click through for details, timelines, and what it means for multilingual learners.

1. The Portrait of a Graduate

A statewide framework defining the skills, knowledge, and dispositions every NY graduate should demonstrate — beyond a transcript. Adopted by the Board of Regents in July 2025.

2. Redefining Credits and Learning Experiences

Reorganizing credit requirements into broader, more flexible categories and expanding what counts toward a diploma — including CTE, internships, and work-based learning.

3. Sunset Diploma Assessment Requirements

Reducing and diversifying diploma assessment requirements so Regents Exams are one option among several for demonstrating proficiency, rather than a fixed requirement.

4. Moving to One Diploma

Replacing the current three-tier diploma system (local, Regents, Regents with advanced designation) with a single diploma that carries optional seals and endorsements.