New York's Board of Regents has voted to scrap the long-standing Regents exams as a graduation requirement for high school students from 2028, ending decades of standardised testing in maths, English, science and global studies. The decision was welcomed by Felicia Thomas-Williams, a former school principal and the board's Long Island representative, who said she was "thrilled" and argued the change would let students "demonstrate their competency" in ways that showcase individual strengths rather than being dumbed down.

Thomas-Williams compared the old system to judging a fish on its ability to climb a tree, a remark that drew mixed reactions online, with some criticising the metaphor as clumsy. Board Chancellor Lester Young and state education commissioner Betty Rosa also backed the move, framing it as part of a push for a more equitable system that upholds high standards while giving students varied ways to prove their abilities. Not everyone agreed, however: board member Weinman Shorenstein voiced concern about how comparability across different local assessments would be maintained once the uniform exam is gone. The state education department is now expected to draw up alternative graduation requirements.