No January Regents exams for New York students

NEW YORK STATE — The New York State Education Department (NYSED) decided to cancel the Regents exams scheduled for January 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The NYSED posted an announcement on its website, www.nysed.gov, on Thursday, Nov. 5, that the cancellation applies to all Regents Examinations scheduled for this coming January. NYSED plans to propose modifications to the assessment requirements students must meet in order to earn their high school diplomas, credentials and endorsements. The modifications will apply to all students completing a secondary-level course of study or make-up program in January. The move will be discussed more in depth at next month’s Board of Regents meeting.

The NYSED also intends to ask the Board of Regents to adopt emergency regulations related to the assessment requirements so students won’t be adversely impacted by the exams being canceled. Under these regulations, students planning to take one or more Regents exam in January will be exempt. However, in order to qualify for the exemption, they must either be enrolled in a course of study that would typically culminate in the January 2021 Regents exam and earn credit for the course by the end of the 2020-21 school year’s first semester; complete a make-up program to earn course credit between Tuesday, Sept. 1, and the end of the first semester; or be prepared to take a required Regents exam to graduate at the end of the first semester.

No decisions have been made at this time regarding the June and August 2021 Regents exams or any other state assessment programs.

The decision was supported by local school district administrators, especially once it was confirmed that it wouldn’t adversely impact students.

While he said he was mixed on the move, Webutuck Superintendent of Schools Raymond Castellani acknowledged, “What we’re dealing with, with instructional practices and curriculum right now, I could understand delaying the Regents, knowing that the rigor of the Regents exams and courses is going to be very difficult for our students to be successful in the school climate.”

Pine Plains Superintendent of Schools Martin Handler said the students who were depending upon the January Regents will receive an exemption and won’t be penalized for the cancelled exams. Since a relatively small number of students planned on taking the January Regents — mainly students who were retaking a course — Handler said cancellation won’t have a tremendous impact. More importantly, he said the district is now wondering what NYSED has planned for the June Regents since a larger number of Pine Plains students take those exams.

“In the interest of safety, equity and fairness, canceling the January Regents exams is the right choice,” said New York State United Teachers President Andy Pallotta in a recent statement. “We applaud Interim Commissioner [Betty] Rosa, the Board of Regents and the State Education Department for putting students first with changes to state exam requirements that still allow them to achieve a diploma without being penalized during this pandemic.”

Latest News

Stanford home market sees nine sales in July and August

Built in 1820, 1168 Bangall Amenia Road sold for $875,000 on July 31 with the transfer recorded in August. It has a Millbrook post office and is located in the Webutuck school district.

Christine Bates

STANFORD — The Town of Stanford with nine transfers in two months reached a median price in August of $573,000 for single family homes, still below Stanford’s all-time median high in August 2024 of $640,000.

At the beginning of October there is a large inventory of single-family homes listed for sale with only six of the 18 homes listed for below the median price of $573,000 and seven above $1 million.

Keep ReadingShow less
Out on the trail
Nathan Miller

Hunt club members and friends gathered near Pugsley Hill at the historic Wethersfield Estate and Gardens in Amenia for the opening meet of the 2025-2026 Millbrook Hunt Club season on Saturday, Oct. 4. Foxhunters took off from Wethersfield’s hilltop gardens just after 8 a.m. for a hunting jaunt around Amenia’s countryside.

Millbrook Library dedicates pollinator pathway garden

Joining in the fun at the dedication of the new pollinator pathway garden at The Millbrook Library on Saturday, Oct. 4, local expert gardener Maryanne Snow Pitts provides information about a planting to Lorraine Mirabella of Poughkeepsie.

Leila Hawken

MILLBROOK — Participating in a patchwork of libraries that have planted pollinator pathway gardens to attract insects and birds to their native plantings was one of the accomplishments being celebrated at the dedication of a new pollinator garden at the Millbrook Library on Saturday, Oct. 4.

“A lot of work went into it,” said Emma Sweeney, past President of the Millbrook Garden Club, who started the local library’s initiative two years ago.

Keep ReadingShow less
Amenia Town Board continues discussing board alternates

Amenia Town Hall on Route 22.

Nathan Miller

AMENIA — After gathering comments from the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals, as it considers adding alternate members to those boards, the Town Board discussed possible changes to local laws governing those boards at its meeting on Friday, Oct. 3. The meeting date, usually on a Thursday, had been changed to accommodate a holiday.

In recent weeks Town Board attorney Ian Lindars has been compiling comments from the affected boards along with comments from the Town Board. The new laws may bring the appointment of two alternate members to each board. Alternate members are likely to be required to attend all meetings and be prepared to be seated if needed and be familiar with the applications being discussed. They would also need to take training required of all board members.

Keep ReadingShow less