Students who were planning to take Regents exams this June will no longer be required to pass those tests to earn their high school diploma, the state Education Department announced Tuesday.
Typically, students must pass five Regents exams, administered in subjects like algebra, earth science and U.S. History, in order to graduate from high school. But the state canceled the June 2020 Regents exams as the coronavirus pandemic has led to statewide school closures through at least April 29.
The exemption will apply to all students in grades seven through 12 who were planning to take one or more Regents exams this June. But to qualify, students must be enrolled in a course that would normally finish with a Regents exam, and they must pass and earn credit in that course.
If a student fails the class this June, they can attend summer school and pass in August without needing to take the Regents exam.
The exemption will also apply to students who have already passed a course but were waiting until June to take the Regents exam in that subject.
The move comes after the state announced it would suspend testing for students in grades three through eight, who take state assessments in English language arts and math each year.