NYSED launches 'NY Inspires' graduation timeline.

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — The New York State Education Department (NYSED) is planning a major overhaul of New York's education system through "NY Inspires." Expected to cost $11.5 million across several phases, the initiative aims to give students the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in high school and beyond.

Redefining the high school experience includes adopting the "Portrait of a Graduate" and streamlining the path to graduation. Each change in "NY Inpsires" would have to be approved by the Board of Regents to be adopted. The full plan is available at the bottom of this story.

Schools will transition in three phases, beginning with the current 2024 to 2025 school year. The first focuses on planning, training, developing rubrics, and introducing exemptions for students experiencing major life events.

By 2026, the state will share details on new credit requirements. The 2026-2027 school year will see new rubrics and guidance for the Portrait of a Graduate, as well as mandatory financial literacy and climate education.

In the second phase, from 2027 to 2029, the state will introduce the one-diploma system, phase out current diploma assessments, and start implementing new credit requirements. The final phase, beginning in 2029, will fully implement and scale the new system, including new transcripts and updated standards. Students will demonstrate proficiency in both the updated learning standards and the Portrait of a Graduate to graduate.

Take a look at a section of the Board of Regents meeting on November 4, wherein the Blue Ribbon Commission's Deputy Commissioner Jason Harmon and Assistant Commissioner Theresa Billington laid out the overall timeline and the requirements for different cohorts:

NYSED's approach aims to help students meet new learning standards fairly, with a more comprehensive evaluation of what they've learned. They're also figuring out how to offer guidance and professional training to educators and administrators throughout the transformation.

The plan builds on recommendations from the Blue Ribbon Commission on Graduation Measures. Community feedback shaped the initiative since 2019, with 19 in-person meetings and eight virtual forums after a pause during COVID. Over 3,300 participants joined 86 ambassador forums, and nearly 2,700 of them gave input.