January 2022 Regents Canceled – How to get an Exemption

The January 2022 administration of the High School Regents Examination Program was canceled due to the ongoing COVID–19 pandemic, State Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa announced. This cancelation applied to all Regents Examinations that had been scheduled for the January 2022 Regents Examination period.

On 1/10/22, the Board of Regents approved emergency regulations allowing students to graduate in January 2022 without the Regents exams that were scheduled to take place during that month.

If parents wish, they can decline the exemption so that their child is not awarded a diploma in January 2022. “Schools must notify parents . . . of the option to decline such exemption . . . prior to the conclusion of the semester in which students are due to receive their high school diploma (10 days prior for those graduating after the first semester of the 2021-2022 school year and 30 days prior to the second semester of the 2021-2022 school year and thereafter).”

The text of the emergency regulation is here: https://www.regents.nysed.gov/common/regents/files/122p12a2.pdf

Students who meet the following criteria may be awarded an exemption:

• Be currently enrolled in a course of study that would ordinarily culminate in the taking of a January 2022 Regents Examination and earn credit for such course of study by the end of the first semester of the 2021-22 school year; or

• Between September 1, 2021 and the end of the first semester of the 2021-22 school year, successfully complete a make-up program for the purpose of earning course credit; or

• Be preparing to take a required Regents Examination in order to graduate at the end of the first semester of the 2021-22 school year.

https://legalservicesli.org/wp-content/uploads/attachments/january-2022-regents-cancellation.pdf

Nassau Suffolk Law Services’ Education and Disability Rights Project (EDRP) is a bi-county project (Nassau and Suffolk counties) and can be reached at (516) 292-8100. EDRP represents students with disabilities between the ages of 5-21 in Special Education matters, including attendance at Committee on Special Education (CSE) meetings, Resolution Sessions and Impartial Hearings. In addition, the EDRP assists students in issues pertaining to residency and homelessness and helps adults with developmental disabilities to secure eligibility and services through the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD).