STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT ISSUES GUIDANCE ON GRADUATION AND COURSE REQUIREMENT CHANGES DUE TO COVID-19 AND ONGOING STATEWIDE SCHOOL CLOSURE
“During this time of great uncertainty, the department has developed this guidance to ensure that students who were on track to graduate this year will have that opportunity,” said Interim Commissioner Shannon Tahoe.
According to an SED news release, “Students who, during the June 2020 examination period would have taken one or more Regents examinations, will be exempted from passing the assessments in order to be issued a diploma.”
Regents Exams and Diploma Requirements
The COVID-19 emergency has evolved rapidly, leading to uncertainty as to when regular in-school classroom instruction will be able to resume throughout the state and whether students will be adequately prepared to take the Regents examinations. As a result, the Board of Regents and Department have cancelled the June 2020 administration of the NYS High School Regents Examination Program.
Because of this, the Department has modified the requirements that students must meet in order to earn high school diplomas, credentials, and endorsements. These modifications apply to all students enrolled in grades 7-12 during the 2019-20 school year who were intending to participate in one or more of the June 2020 Regents Examinations.
Students who, during the June 2020 examination period would have taken one or more Regents examinations, will be exempted from passing the assessments in order to be issued a diploma. To qualify for the exemption, students must meet one of the following eligibility requirements:
- The student is currently enrolled in a course of study culminating in a Regents examination and will have earned credit in such course of study by the end of the 2019-20 school year; or
- The student is in grade 7, is enrolled in a course of study culminating in a Regents examination and will have passed such course of study by the end of the 2019-20 school year; or
- The student is currently enrolled in a course of study culminating in a Regents examination and has failed to earn credit by the end of the school year. Such student returns for summer instruction to make up the failed course and earn the course credit and is subsequently granted diploma credit in August 2020; or
- The student was previously enrolled in the course of study leading to an applicable Regents examination, has achieved course credit, and has not yet passed the associated Regents examination but intended to take the test in June 2020 to achieve a passing score.
NYSED Guidance issued on March 13, 2020 outlined the requirements for granting diploma credit for courses interrupted by the COVID-19 closures.
In addition, today’s guidance also provides information on:
- NYSED-approved +1 Pathway Assessments;
- Languages Other Than English (LOTE) locally developed Checkpoint B examinations;
- Career Development and Occupational Studies (CDOS) Commencement Credential and +1 Pathway;
- use of safety nets;
- diploma endorsements including Honors, Mastery and CTE Technical Endorsement; and
- accountability determinations.
NYSED will develop guidance on how schools and districts should record the exemptions from examination requirements. Student transcripts should not reflect an examination score for any examination for which the student is exempted.
NYSED DOCUMENT CANCELLING REGENTS EXAMS:
nysed-covid-19-memo-cancellation-june-2020-regents-exams
FAQ’s:
nysed-covid-19-regents-grad-req-faq
