Update, 10:16 a.m.: Schools chancellor Cathie Black confirmed students scheduled to take the January Regents exam today in subjects such as Physics, U.S. Government and Science will have to wait until June to take the test.
Update, 10:12 a.m.: Mayor Michael Bloomberg commented on the decision to close city schools at a press conference this morning: "We are in the business of opening schools, not closing them."
Bloomberg also said state Regents testing scheduled for today did not factor into the city's decision to close schools.
Schools chancellor Cathie Black made the rare decision early this morning to call a snow day for the city's 1.1 million schoolchildren.
All non-emergency city offices will also be closed today.
In addition, bus service has been suspended throughout the city because of road and weather conditions. Long Island Railroad trains are back in service, though commuters should allow for extra travel time.
As of 5:30 a.m., more than a foot of snow has fallen as a result of a powerful winter storm just exiting the region.
