New York state cancels US History Regents due to Buffalo shooting

There will be no U.S. History Regents exam this June.

The State Board of Regents said Tuesday a long-planned question on the exam could add to trauma in Buffalo caused by the recent supermarket shooting.

"While developed by NYS-certified social studies teachers more than two years ago and field-tested to confirm that the exam’s content is educationally sound, the tragedy in Buffalo has created an unexpected and unintended context for the planned assessment. In the wake of the Buffalo tragedy, it is not appropriate to administer the exam with a question that could compound the grief and hardship faced by our school communities," said Emily DeSantis with the New York State Education Department.

Commissioner Betty Rosa says this means that the Education Department will ask the Board of Regents for graduation exemptions for the U.S. History exam through the January 2023 test period.