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The New York State Education Department announced on Tuesday, Dec. 21 that the exams have been canceled due to the surge of new COVID-19 cases, specifically those tied to the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the virus.
It marks the second straight year that the Education Department canceled the Regents exams due to the spread of COVID-19.
“New York set a daunting record last week with more COVID-19 cases reported in one day than ever before,” state Education Commissioner Betty Rosa said in a statement “Once again, the January Regents Exams cannot be safely, equitably, and fairly administered across the state.
“We will continue to work with our schools, districts, and stakeholders to ensure they have what they need to provide academic, social and emotional, and mental health supports for our students.”
According to the Education Department, it plans to ask the state Board of Regents to modify its requirements so students set to graduate next month can still do so without passing the mandatory exams.
To qualify for an exemption, a student must be enrolled in a class that would culminate with a Regents examination in January and earn credit, complete a make-up program to earn course credit, or be prepared to take a required Regents examination to graduate at the end of the first semester.
In a statement, Regents Chancellor Lester Young Jr. called the decision to cancel the tests “the right one,” citing “the unpredictable nature of the pandemic, the recent acceleration in COVID-19 infections, and continuing upheaval the virus has caused in schools across the state.
“New York’s students will continue to have access to high-quality coursework while allowing districts to prioritize the health and safety of our school communities.”
Last year, the Regents exams scheduled for June were also canceled because of the pandemic, and students were exempted from having to pass them to graduate.
New York State United Teachers also issued a statement saying that “given the unevenness of this school year with the pandemic still ongoing and the acute social-emotional needs of our students, canceling the January Regents exams is the right choice.
"We thank Commissioner Rosa, Chancellor Young, and the Board of Regents for recognizing that our educators are still assessing their students, preparing them to receive their diplomas, and setting them up for success after graduation without this round of state exams.”
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