THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234
Office of Instructional Support
Deputy Commissioner
On Tuesday September 12, 2017 the Board of Regents adopted regulatory changes impacting the Physical Education graduation requirements for students who transfer to a New York State high school from outside the state, and for students who require more than 4 years to graduate. The full board item and revised language can be found at
Prior to the revision, the diploma requirements included 2 units of credit in Physical Education (PE) and students must participate in PE every semester they are enrolled in school, even if they have met the required 2 credits and remain in school beyond their senior year. Typically students earn ¼ unit of PE credit each semester to reach the 2 unit requirement by the end of senior year.
The revised regulations require students who transfer in to a New York State school from another state earn a proportional number of PE credits based upon the number of semesters they will be in the New York State school. Transfer students will be required to earn ¼ unit of credit for each semester they are enrolled in the New York State high school through the end of their senior year or 8th semester. For example a student who transfers to a New York State high school in grade 11 will have to enroll in PE each semester, and will be required to earn 1 credit (¼ unit x 4 semesters) in PE in order to graduate.
In addition, the revised rule allows students who have earned the appropriate number of PE credits for graduation, and have been in high school at least 8 semesters, to discontinue enrollment in PE if they are required to continue in high school beyond 4 years (8 semesters) in order to meet other diploma requirements.
The following are some frequently asked questions related to the change in the Physical Education requirements for transfer students.
1. What are the PE requirements based upon a student’s date of entry into a NYS high school from outside the State?
Answer:
| # Semesters Expected in a NYS School | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Minimum number of PE credits required for graduationÌý | 1/4 | 1/2 | 3/4 | 1 | 1 1/4 | 1 1/2 | 1 3/4 | 2 |
2. If a student transfers to a New York State (NYS) high school with some accumulated credit in PE, can they still be exempt from some or all of the two required credits for graduation?
Answer: Upon entry to a NYS high school, counselors should calculate the student’s PE requirement based upon the number of semesters expected to be spent in the NYS School, regardless of the number of credits a student brings with them. A student who enters a NYS high school must enroll in PE every semester they are in the NYS high school through their senior year AND must earn ¼ unit of credit for each semester completed in the New York State high school.
3. I have a student who transferred into NY State as a senior with 2 credits of PE. May this student be exempt from PE during her senior year?
Answer: No. All students must enroll in PE upon entry into a NYS high school until they reach the end of their senior year or until they graduate whichever occurs first.
4. If a student transfers from a nonpublic high school within New York State to a public high school within New York State, do the PE exemptions apply?
Answer: No. The PE exemption applies only to students who are transferring from outside New York
5. May a student double up in PE in a semester in order to finish their requirement prior to the end of their senior year?
Answer: A student may take extra PE courses as electives, but must still enroll in PE every semester they are in school until they reach the end of their senior year.
6. May a student discontinue enrollment in PE if they have to return to school for a fifth year in order to meet the graduation requirements?
Answer: Yes as long as the student has earned the required number of credits for PE per the chart in question 1.
7. If a student enters a NYS school in grade 12 for example, and fails a semester long PE course resulting in no course credit, must they make it up in order to meet the graduation requirements.
Answer: If the student has not accumulated the required number of credits for graduation they must make up the failed PE course.
8. If a student graduates from high school in fewer than 8 semesters (early), must the student meet the required number of PE credits?
Answer: The student needs to meet the required number of credits based upon the number of semesters they are in a NYS high school per the chart in question 1. If they entered a NY high school in grade 9 and graduate in 7 semesters, their PE requirement is 1 ¾ credit; 6 semesters would be 1 ½ credits and so on.Ìý
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