Regents Examinations, or simply Regents, are a set of standardized tests given to high school students through the New York State Department of Education, designed and administered under the authority of the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York. Regents exams are prepared by a conference of selected New York teachers in each test's specific discipline, three years before the tests' issuance, and are administered in a rigid manner: each exam will have printed on its cover the date and time of when the examination is to begin, and the proctor for the exam has specific guidelines regarding students leaving the room during the tests and regarding the handling of the tests. These proctoring guidelines have caused some controversy, such as issues regarding fire alarms.
In 2005, the Board of Regents began modifying the Mathematics curriculum. An integrated approach that taught geometry and algebra in all three years with concepts being taught at higher levels in later years was replaced by a more traditional sequence of Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. Accordingly the "Math A" and "Math B" exams will be eliminated and be replaced by three new exams, "Integrated Algebra", "Integrated Geometry", and "Integrated Algebra II and Trigonometry". These changes have not yet taken effect and may still be changed.
In order to graduate with a regents diploma, students are required to have earned appropriate credits in each category. Students are also required to pass (achieving a score of 65 or above) on all required Regents examinations. Below is a chart that displays graduation requirements in New York State; grade level "notations" are listed as a regular grade level, not as advanced classes.