Buffalo, NY (WBEN) The state education department is canceling Regents tests because of COVID 19. The state is also delaying the start of standards-aligned testing of English and Math until 2022.
“In times of crisis difficult decisions must be made and the Board of Regents knows these are ultimately the right ones for New York’s students,” Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa said. “We are putting the safety of children, families and educators first, while ensuring that the hard work done by our students and teachers is honored. These are extraordinary decisions for an unprecedented time, and we thank our school communities for their support and continuing dedication during the statewide school closure.”
“Every day we see more and more examples of the tireless dedication of educators, administrators and parents to support their students as they continue to learn and work toward a meaningful diploma during the state of emergency and we are grateful to them for their efforts,” Interim Commissioner Shannon Tahoe said. “During this time of great uncertainty, the Department has developed this guidance to ensure that students who were on track to graduate this year will have that opportunity.”
Students who, during the June 2020 examination period would have taken one or more Regents examinations, will be exempted from passing the assessments in order to be issued a diploma. To qualify for the exemption, students must meet one of the following eligibility requirements:
- The student is currently enrolled in a course of study culminating in a Regents examination and will have earned credit in such course of study by the end of the 2019-20 school year; or
- The student is in grade 7, is enrolled in a course of study culminating in a Regents examination and will have passed such course of study by the end of the 2019-20 school year; or
- The student is currently enrolled in a course of study culminating in a Regents examination and has failed to earn credit by the end of the school year. Such student returns for summer instruction to make up the failed course and earn the course credit and is subsequently granted diploma credit in August 2020; or
- The student was previously enrolled in the course of study leading to an applicable Regents examination, has achieved course credit, and has not yet passed the associated Regents examination but intended to take the test in June 2020 to achieve a passing score.
NYSED will develop guidance on how schools and districts should record the exemptions from examination requirements. Student transcripts should not reflect an examination score for any examination for which the student is exempted.
NYSED also says Next Generation
ELA and
Mathematics Implementation Timeline has been updated to reflect that state assessments will be aligned to the new learning standards in Spring 2022
to allow districts to make up the professional learning time lost by the school closures related to COVID-19. The overall timeline for the implementation of the Next Generation ELA and Mathematics Standards is now as follows:
- September 2017: Adoption of NYS Next Generation Learning Standards.
- Phase I: Raise Awareness (Winter 2018-Winter/Spring 2019): Professional development on NYS Next Generation Learning Standards; two-day assessments measuring the 2011 P-12 Learning Standards.
- Phase II: Build Capacity (2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21)*: Professional development continuing on NYS Next Generation Learning Standards; two-day assessments measuring the 2011 P-12 Learning Standards.
- Phase III Full Implementation (September 2021 – ongoing): Full implementation of the NYS Next Generation Learning Standards.
- Spring 2022: New grade 3-8 tests measuring the NYS Next Generation Learning Standards.
*The 2019-20 assessments were not given due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This delay says NYSED affords NYSED the opportunity to better align this transition with the implementation of the New York State P-12 Science Learning Standards as well. The transition to new exams measuring the new New York State P-12 Science Learning Standards in Grades 5 and 8 will begin in spring 2023. This will allow districts to make up the professional learning time lost by the school closures related to COVID-19. Detailed information and a revised timeline on the activities to engage and assist districts with their local implementation over this multi-year phase-in are available on our Curriculum and Instruction website.
