What Are the New York State Learning Standards?
The New York State Learning Standards (also called the Next Generation Learning Standards) are the official curriculum standards adopted by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) that define exactly what every New York public school student must learn at each grade level and in each subject. Every New York Regents exam is built directly from these standards.
The New York State Learning Standards are the master list of every topic, skill, and standard a New York student is required to learn. Schools build their curriculum from them, and the Regents is built from them. If a topic is in the standards, it can be tested. If it's not, it won't be.
Why the Standards Matter for the Regents
A Regents exam isn't built from a generic textbook or national curriculum — it's built straight from the New York State Learning Standards for that specific course. That means:
- Standards-aligned practice = directly relevant practice. Every question and concept is mapped to the standards the exam actually samples.
- Off-standard material is wasted study time. A general Algebra 1 review course might cover topics the Regents never tests, while skipping standards that show up every year.
- The standards are the diagnostic. If you score low on a specific standard in practice, that's exactly where to focus. NY Regents Quiz™ tags every question by topic so weak points surface immediately.
How the Standards Are Organized
The New York State Learning Standards are organized by subject and grade band. In high school, each Regents course maps to a defined set of standards — for example, Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2 in math; the Living Environment and Physical Setting (Chemistry, Physics, Earth Science) in science; and U.S. History & Government and Global History & Geography in social studies. Each course's standards spell out the concepts and skills a student must master to pass that Regents exam.
NY Regents Quiz™ practice questions are organized by these topics so you can drill a specific area — or see exactly which one cost you points on a mock exam.
Who Sets the Standards?
The New York State Education Department (NYSED), together with the Board of Regents, with input from teachers, content experts, and public comment. The current math and English Language Arts standards are known as the Next Generation Learning Standards, which New York adopted after revising its earlier Common Core-based standards.
Standards for Each Regents Subject
Each subject page lists the topics that get sampled on the Regents.
New York State Learning Standards FAQ
Standards-aligned Regents Prep — Free Samples
Every practice question organized by topic. Diagnose weak areas before exam day.
Browse Regents Subjects