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Standards and Instruction

General Education and Diploma Requirements

Additional Resources

Special Determination to Graduate with a Local Diploma in June 2022

For students who are scheduled to graduate in June 2022, and either do not qualify for a Special Appeal or who are unable to participate in one or more Regents Examinations required for graduation because of illness, including isolation restrictions due to COVID, the Department is providing additional flexibility.

All students who are unable to graduate in June 2022 due to the above reasons can request a Special Determination to Graduate with a Local Diploma (“Special Determination”). This option will ensure that all students who have demonstrated, through local measures, that they have met the State’s learning standards for graduation can earn a local diploma allowing them to exit high school and pursue a post-secondary opportunity.

To be eligible for the Special Determination, the student must otherwise meet all requirements for graduation in June of 2022 and meet one of the following criteria:

  • The student was enrolled in a course of study or make up program during the 2021-2022 school year leading to a June 2022 Regents Examination, earned credit in such course of study by the scheduled date of the Regents Examination, participated in such examination but did not achieve a passing score or qualify for a Special Appeal; or
  • The student was enrolled in a course of study or make up program during the 2021-2022 school year that was intended to culminate in the student’s participation in a June 2022 Regents Examination and the student earned credit in such course of study by the date of such examination but was unable to participate in such examination due to illness, including isolation restrictions due to COVID.  Such illness must be documented by the student’s physician, or in the case of COVID, in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and or local guidelines for quarantine. A student absent due to COVID should follow the locally developed school or district procedures for reporting such absence.     

Additional information can be referenced in the following resources:

Questions about the Special Determination to Graduate with a Local Diploma can be forwarded to emscgradreq@nysed.gov.