Seniors at Jamestown High School pictured at their 2019 graduation ceremony at Chautauqua Institution. P-J file photo

The New York State Department of Education on Tuesday formally announced the cancellation of Regents exams and issued guidelines on how seniors can earn their high school diplomas.

With schools closed throughout the state until at least April 29 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the state Education Department said June Regents exams have been canceled. Because of this, the state 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;

• 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;

• 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;

• 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.

“In times of crisis difficult decisions must be made and the Board of Regents knows these are ultimately the right ones for New York’s students,” said Betty A. Rosa, state Board of Regents chancellor. “We are putting the safety of children, families and educators first, while ensuring that the hard work done by our students and teachers is honored. These are extraordinary decisions for an unprecedented time, and we thank our school communities for their support and continuing dedication during the statewide school closure.”

In addition, due to the school closures related to COVID-19, the state Education Department said it has delayed the rollout of state assessments aligned to the grades 3-8 Next Generation Learning Standards for English Language Arts and Mathematics for one year, to spring 2022. Similarly, the alignment of state assessments to the New York P-12 Science Learning Standards will begin in spring 2023. Further, the state extended its current Grades 3-8 ELA and Math Testing contract by one year.