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THE BLUEPRINT:
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Regents members Thomas-Williams and Tilles met Long Island Association leaders in Melville.
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Meeting focused on changes to high school diploma requirements.
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The “portrait of a graduate” model emphasizes academics, social-emotional skills, internships and more.
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Strong partnerships between business leaders and educators highlighted as essential for preparing the future workforce.
Members of the New York Board of Regents met with business leaders at the Long Island Association (LIA) in Melville earlier this month to discuss upcoming changes to high school diploma requirements as plans to phase out Regents exams move forward. These requirements are being restructured under a new model called the “Portrait of a Graduate.”
Adopted at a Board of Regents meeting in July, the model is slated to launch in the 2027-2028 academic year after Regents exams are no longer required for graduation.
In Melville Regent Felicia Thomas-Williams, who represents Nassau and Suffolk counties), and Regent At-Large Roger Tilles met with the LIA’s Health, Education and Not-for-Profit Business Committee to discuss the latest initiatives.
The New York State Department of Education plans to release guidance by summer of 2027 to support the implementation of the model, including graduation requirements and learning standards. The model is designed to address all aspects of learning and whole-child development and demonstrates that students understand their subjects. This includes academic, social, emotional and cultural development to prepare students to demonstrate “creativity, critical thinking, communication, reflection and global awareness so they can be prepared to learn, grow, innovate, and contribute meaningfully to society,” according to a news release from the LIA about the meeting with Board of Regents officials.
The model also integrates internships and work-based learning to equip students for college and careers.
The region’s K-12 education system “is critical for a thriving economy so students can get quality jobs on Long Island and stay here after they graduate. I thank Regents Thomas-Williams and Tilles for coming to speak to the LIA and give an update on what the New York State Board of Regents is working on,” LIA President and Chief Executive Matt Cohen said in the news release.
Strong partnerships between schools and businesses, Tilles said, are crucial to preparing the future workforce.
“Like the many other times I’ve talked with LIA members, I find that educators need to have the input of business and that business needs to know what the education future will bring,” Tilles said in the news release.
Thomas-Williams shared that sentiment.
“The portrait of a graduate reflects what families, educators, employers, and communities have long told us – students must leave our schools with knowledge, purpose, adaptability, and a sense of belonging,” Thomas-Williams said in the news release. “This is not aspirational language; it is a call to action to build equitable systems that honor multiple pathways and ensure every student is prepared not just to graduate, but to thrive.”
Regents exams may still be offered in the future but may take the shape of a series of exams over the course of the year, or by completing projects, according to published reports.
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Adina Genn
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