New York State education department
petitions to cancel spring exams
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The New York state Department of Education is
seeking a federal waiver to exempt third through
12th grade students from taking state exams for the
remainder of the 2020-21 school year as the country
continues to grapple with the ongoing coronavirus
pandemic.
NYSED announced via a press release on Monday
that it sent two federal waiver requests on state
assessment and accountability requirements which
are now available online for public comment. The
department is accepting comments until Feb. 5, according
to the release.
“Given the varying circumstances in each school
district, the only fair and appropriate decision at
this time is to seek waiver to forego testing and accountability
requirements,” said Interim Commissioner
Betty A. Rosa.
“In light of the ongoing pandemic, we have determined
that the Spring 2021 state assessments cannot
be safely, equitably and fairly administered to students
in schools across the state and therefore are
seeking these waivers,” said Board of Regents Chancellor
Lester W. Young Jr., in a statement.
The fi rst waiver asks for the omission of state
testing requirements for elementary, middle and
high school students and allow the NYSED to give
the New York State English as a Second Language
Achievement Test only to those students who are attending
school in person some days of the week.
The second waiver asks for permission to do
away with a federal requirement that asks NYSED
to assign a level 1 to 4 to “accountability subgroups”
at a public school or school district based on performance.
The grading system is meant to identify
areas of most need of support and improvement. In
addition, the second waiver proposes amending the
New York state ESSA plan to allow schools currently
identifi ed for improvement to use 2018-19 standards
instead of modifi ed 2020-21 exit criteria.
The announcement comes shortly after state education
offi cials canceled the January High School
Board of Regents Exams due to the pandemic and
issued modifi ed diploma requirements for graduating
students. Normally, New York state public high
school students need to take and pass fi ve Regents
exams in order to graduate. But all Regents have
been canceled since the pandemic fi rst reached the
state in March of last year.
After state offi cials broke the news about the petition,
the state teacher’s union voiced their support
for the move.
“In a year that has been anything but standardized,
it’s the right move to seek this waiver to cancel
this spring’s standardized exams,” NYSUT President
Andy Pallotta said. “Educators know their students’
needs and how to maximize their potential.
We’re thankful that the Department and Regents
are taking this step and are here to work them to
ensure students can still showcase their hard work
this spring in a safe and equitable manner.”
“Interim Commissioner Rosa, Regents Chancellor
Young and the Board are putting students’ physical,
social and emotional well-being fi rst with this
request,” added NYSUT Executive Vice President
Jolene T. DiBrango in a statement. “We’ve heard
from countless educators across the state who know
that canceling this year’s exams is in the best interest
of their students. We urge the federal government
to hear their voices and grant this request.”
Education
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