NYS High School Physics Test Design
| Performance Expectations | Questions | Claims and Evidence |
In June 2025, the Office of State Assessment released the Educator Guide to the Regents Examination in Physical Science: Physics. Below is the Test Blueprint and Organization from the educator guide which provides further insight on the possible distribution of questions that might appear on the Regents exam.
Test Blueprint
The table below shows the percent ranges for each topic in Physics and the potential distribution of questions on the 2026 Physical Science: Physics exam.
| Topic-level Operational Test Blueprint – Percent Ranges for Physical Science: Physics | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structure and Properties of Matter | Force and Interactions | Energy | Waves and Electromagnetic Radiation | Earth and Space Systems | Engineering, Technology, and the Applications of Science |
| 2-5% | 20-32% | 26-38% | 26-38% | 2-8% | 5-11% |
Test Design
All questions on the Physical Science: Physics exam will be organized into clusters of questions that share a common storyline. For an example, visit the Physics Sample Question Clusters.
The NYS Office of State Assessment has shared that the 2026 Physical Science: Physics test will consist of both multiple choice and short response questions, contributing to approximately 60% and 40%, respectively. The number of questions on the exam will likely vary depending on the clusters used, but variation will fall in the ranges shared in the table below. All questions will have a value of 1 credit each.
| Number of Question Clusters | Total Number of Questions |
|---|---|
| 9-11 | 45-55 |
Test Administration
Many of the testing administration details are remaining the same, though there are some minor changes:
- As in previous years, students will have 3 hours to complete the exam.
- The Physics Reference Table has been updated.
- Students must now complete 3 Required Investigations, which contribute to the overall requirement of 1200 minutes of hands-on laboratory experiences. To access these investigations, contact your principal as these are part of the same portal where exam requests are made.