The NY State Education Department has issued its response to the many regents cancellations due to weather. The most affected exams were

• US History (necessary for a regular diploma) and
• Geometry (the second of three math exams needed for the advanced regents diploma).  Also canceled in many districts, including New York City were
• Physics and Chemistry (one of the two is often needed for the advanced regents diploma) and
• several RCTs (needed for local diplomas for students with disabilities).

The response allows students needing a local diploma to use satisfactory coursework in place of the exam.

The response advises all that if they want a regents (or presumably an advanced regents) diploma, that the next administration will be in June.

Course-end examinations are easiest for students at the end of the appropriate course. The State’s response, while understandable, leaves students who had just finished their study of physics or chemistry or geometry at a disadvantage.

The memo can be found by clicking here, or by reading below the fold (I’ve cut and pasted the whole thing)

News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 27, 2011

For More Information Contact:
Tom Dunn, Jonathan Burman or Jane Briggs at (518) 474-1201
Internet:  http://www.nysed.gov

STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES:
SOME SENIORS CAN USE COURSE GRADES TO GRADUATE AS
REGENTS EXAMS ARE CANCELED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER;
NEXT ADMINISTRATION IN JUNE

The State Education Department announced today that seniors who were scheduled to take Regents exams this week and were unable to do so because their schools were closed by inclement weather may use passing course grades (per local policy) to meet the requirements for a local diploma. This option is being allowed only for the small number of seniors for whom passing grades on Regents exams not available this week due to inclement weather would represent their only outstanding requirement for January 2011 graduation.

Education Commissioner David Steiner said, “We hold a Regents Diploma as the goal for all; however, this is the fairest course of action for the seniors affected this week.  I urge all the affected students to come back in June to earn the scores they need for a Regents diploma.”

This announcement today follows the precedent established in January 2004 – the last time such a large number of students were affected by school closures during a Regents examination period. A final count of seniors exercising this option will be determined as principals and superintendents audit coursework and grading policies to establish student eligibility and report to the State Education Department.

All students unable to take exams due to school closures this week are reminded that the next scheduled administration of the exams is in June.   January exams are offered in approximately 1600 schools statewide and account for approximately 15 percent of all Regents exams administered in a year.   To ensure that students have multiple opportunities to take the Regents exams, New York offers them three times a year. The Department views the January Regents examination period as primarily a makeup testing opportunity for students.

Public, non-public and charter school officials will receive further details in a guidance memo from the Office of State Assessment tomorrow.

– 30 –