On April 7, 2020 the New York State Education Department (NYSED) issued a memorandum cancelling the June 2020 administration of Regents Examinations and subsequently cancelled the August 2020 administration of Regents Examinations due to the COVID-19 health crisis. Due to the cancellations, NYSED announced certain modifications to the assessment requirements that students must meet in order to earn high school diplomas, credentials, and/or endorsements. The modifications apply to all students enrolled in grades 7-12 during the 2019-20 school year. 

The purpose of this memorandum is to inform parents/guardians they have the option to decline the exemptions to the assessment requirements for graduation. Any exemptions parents/guardians do not decline will be applied and deemed to be met towards the student’s future graduation requirements. 

• The decision to decline the graduation assessment requirement exemption is irrevocable.
• The student will not be eligible to graduate until he or she meets all of the graduation assessment requirements including those that were previously eligible for an exemption.
• The student will remain eligible to receive a free public education until the end of the school year in which the student turns 21 or earns a diploma, whichever shall occur first. 
• Students will have to meet all assessment requirements for which the exemptions were declined. 

Click here for a Regents Examination Exemption Declination form.