In order to graduate from high school, a student must meet all the requirements set forth by New York State, including the passing of all Regents Examinations or Competency Tests, and requirements of the West Genesee School District. Students must earn a minimum of 22 units of credit including physical education.

New York State Requirements (minimum 65% passing)

*Students who complete all course work and testing requirements for the Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation, and who pass three commencement Regents in mathematics and/or three commencement Regents examinations in science, with a score of 85 or better, will earn an annotation on the diploma that denotes mastery.

**Students may replace one of the 5 required Regents with one comparably rigorous technical, arts, or other assessment (math, social studies, approved LOTE, etc.).

**Honors Diplomas: The words “with Honors” may be added to the endorsement of a Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation or to a Regents Diploma if a student has earned an accumulative average of at least 90% on the examinations indicated.

***Under certain circumstances, students may substitute five credits in Career and Technology Education (CTE) and/or Occupational Education, Art or Music classes to waive the LOTE sequence requirement. While a minimum of 1.0 LOTE credit is required to graduate, continuing with a Language other than English is strongly recommended for college bound students.

Note: In individual cases, a Local Diploma may be available.

Translated Diploma and Graduation Resources

Additional translated materials to support students’ and families understanding of the NYS Diploma Requirements are now available. Resources translated in the following languages can be found on the Translated Diploma and Graduation Resources webpage: Arabic, Bengali, Chinese (Simplified), French, Haitian Creole, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Urdu, and Uzbek (Latin).

Questions about diploma requirements can be directed to the NYS Education Department Office of Standards and Instruction at emscgradreq@nysed.gov(link sends e-mail) or (518) 474-5922.

Fine Arts Requirement

New York State requires that all students complete 1.0 Fine Arts credit for graduation. Students may select this credit from the following courses: Dance, Studio in Art, Design and Drawing for Production or a music performance course.

Physical Education Requirement

All students must earn a 0.5 credit in physical education during each year of high school for a total of 2.0 credits. This course is a New York State requirement and must be completed for graduation from West Genesee High School.

Career and Technical Education Endorsement

Students have an opportunity to earn a CTE seal of endorsement on their diploma through the State Education Department. To qualify, students must complete a 5.0 credit series of approved courses in one of the following areas:
Business Computer Applications, Computer Technology, Engineering Technology or Finance. See department entries for additional information.

Non-diploma Exiting Credentials

May be awarded to a Special Education student who meets the requirements and objectives as outlined in his/her IEP and whose disability precludes them from earning a Regents or local diploma. A student who earns a Credential may continue to attend school to work towards a high school diploma until age 21.

Seniors who are eligible to complete all requirements for graduation by August may participate in the June ceremony. January graduates are invited to attend commencement the following June.

Early Graduates

Early graduates must contact their counselors before September 1 in the academic year in which they plan to graduate to devise a plan to complete graduation requirements. This plan must allow the student to complete all the graduation requirements listed in the West Genesee scheduling guide.

The Odyssey Program

The Odyssey Program offers students recognition for meeting criteria in six areas: successfully completing eight (8) college level courses; earning four (4) credits in supplemental courses; participating in an Introduction to Philosophy experience; fulfilling community service hours; and, completing a project with a panel presentation. Seniors who fulfill these requirements receive special recognition on Awards Night and at graduation.