In 2019, the New York State Board of Regents and Education Department launched the “Graduation Measures Initiative” to explore what a New York State diploma should signify to ensure educational excellence and equity for all students.
In June, The New York State Education Department (NYSED) presented its vision to implement the recommendations of the NYS Blue Ribbon Commission on Graduation Measures, which are “designed to bring greater equity to the State’s education system.”
The recommendations are intended to ensure that all New York State public school students receive the educational opportunities and supports they will need to succeed in school and beyond, according to the NYSED.
At South Seneca, Superintendent Steve Parker Zielinski and his admin team have been eager to adopt and implement the NYS Graduation Measures Initiative.
The Graduation Measures Initiative vision calls for “transformative actions” in four areas:
Transformation #1: Adopt the New York State Portrait of a Graduate
To earn a high school diploma, a student will have to demonstrate proficiency in each component of the Portrait, meaning that they must be critical thinkers, innovative problem solvers, literate across all content areas, culturally competent, socially-emotionally competent, effective communicators, and global citizens.
Transformation #2: Redefine Credits
This includes organization of diploma requirements by components of the “Portrait of a Graduate”, new requirements for CTE and financial literacy, and expansion of ways for students to demonstrate proficiency in learning standards.
Transformation #3: Sunset Diploma Assessment Requirements
NYSED recommends decoupling specific assessment requirements from graduation requirements. Doing so means that students will no longer need to pass the Regents exams or a +1 Pathway Assessment in order to graduate from high school.
Transformation #4: Move to One Diploma
This advanced designation would become a seal or endorsement. Districts must confer diplomas to students who satisfy the State’s requirements. Districts can add additional seals or endorsements.
Several aspects of these transformations were already aligned with the South Seneca experience. However, having the NYS Graduation Measures expand and reaffirm certain values has given the district a clear north star.
Especially as it pertains to giving its students as many paths as possible to a successful graduation, which could – and does – look different for each student.
“People should be encouraged,” Zielinski said, “to know that New York State is actively looking now for a diverse set of pathways to graduation, which should allow individual students to tailor their high school experience to be more meaningful to them. Some may choose a pathway in the Arts, while others might seek a Math-Science-Technology path. Those most interested in a Career path can choose to go in that direction. Over the next few years, more and more options will be available to students to choose coursework that is engaging to their own goals and interests.”
South Seneca High School Principal Sarah Horton echoed Zielinski’s sentiments.
"The most encouraging aspect of the initiative is its focus on inclusivity and flexibility,” Horton said. “This initiative recognizes that every student learns and interacts with content differently and provides alternative ways to demonstrate their understanding. By offering multiple pathways to graduation, it empowers students to showcase their strengths in ways that go beyond standardized testing. This means more opportunities for all students to succeed and feel confident about their individual futures.”
There are several steps of the NYS Graduation Measures Initiative, with each phase being an ongoing process for the district. The initiative will evolve, and progress might not always be linear. But as long as the district is pulling in the same direction, the expectations is that plenty of wins and results will follow.
“We are already taking steps to align with the initiative,” Horton said. “For example, we are continuing to expand our work with E-portfolios for students to showcase their learning in a comprehensive and individualized way. The intention for these digital portfolios is to allow students to take ownership of their learning and collect their best work, demonstrating not just mastery of content, but also critical thinking, creativity, and personal growth over time. This approach is aligned with the initiative’s focus on broadening how students can show proficiency, moving beyond traditional tests like the Regents exams.”
“Additionally,” she continued, “we are promoting department work time for teachers to collaborate on aligning our courses and programs to reflect the state's evolving graduation requirements. Another key development is that we recently became approved to offer the Seal of Civic Readiness, which is an exciting addition to our graduation pathways. This seal recognizes students who demonstrate a deep understanding of civics through coursework and hands-on experiences. This is an example of how we are already working to broaden the ways students can meet graduation requirements, aligning with the state's shift to more inclusive and varied assessments.”
Ultimately, whether or not the initiative is a success will come down to the same thing any district initiative comes down to: the students.
“We will determine the success,” Horton said, “by monitoring individual student success by reviewing factors, including graduation rates and student engagement. We'll also gather feedback from students, teachers, and parents. It will be a work in progress, so we will make adjustments as we go to best meet the needs of our students.”
Zielinski echoed those sentiments.
“As always,” he said, “we measure success one student at a time. We want our students to take advantage of new pathways, and to learn to advocate for themselves as they transition from high school to their post-graduation opportunities.”
To read more about the NYS Graduation Measures Initiative, go here and here.
For a presentation on the initiative, go here.