State and National Testing Updates
Regents Testing
April 30 Memo: Cancellation of the August 2020 Regents Exams This cancellation applies to all Regents Examinations that had been scheduled for the August 2020 Regents Examination period.
April 17: NYSED "Regents Exams and Grad Requirements Questions Related to Covid-19 Closures" Presentation to New York State School Counselors Association by MaryBeth Casey, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Curriculum and Instruction. Audio and video of the presentation is available here.
See also: Regents Examination and Graduation Requirements Questions Related to COVID-19 Closure
Because of the cancellation of the June 2020 Regents Examinations, the Department is making certain modifications to the assessment requirements that students must meet in order to earn high school diplomas, credentials, and endorsements. These modifications apply to all students enrolled in grades 7-12 during the 2019-20 school year who were intending to participate in one or more of the June 2020 Regents Examinations.
Regents Examination Exemptions: Students who during the June 2020 examination period would take one or more Regents Examinations shall be exempted from the requirements pertaining to passing such examinations in order to be issued a diploma. In order 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;
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;
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 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 was intending to take the test in June 2020 to achieve a passing score. (See FAQ # 5 for additional information).
Note: 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.
Additional Information on the following topics are also included in the memo linked above:
Pathway Assessments
Languages Other Than English (LOTE) Locally Developed Checkpoint B Examinations
Career Development and Occupational Studies (CDOS) Commencement Credential and + 1 Pathway
Use of Safety Nets
Mastery, Honors, Technical Endorsements, Seal of Biliteracy
Recording Student Scores for the COVID-19 Exemptions
Accountability Determinations
August Regents Examinations
Update: April 6 - Board of Regents Meeting
It was announced that June Regents exams have been cancelled. We are awaiting further information.
From Preliminary Guidance on the Preparation for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak in New York State Memo, March 13, 2020:
"In such instances where the COVID-19 virus has caused either an extended absence of individual students, or an extended closure of an entire school or program, thus preventing either the school’s ability to provide or student’s ability to meet the unit of study requirements, the superintendent may admit students enrolled in such courses to the culminating Regents examination.
In cases where the COVID-19 virus has caused either an extended absence of individual students, or an extended closure of an entire school or program, thus preventing either the school’s ability to provide or student’s ability to meet the mandatory laboratory requirement for admission to a science Regents examination, the superintendent may admit students enrolled in such courses to the culminating Regents examination."
3-8 ELA and Math Testing
NYSED will apply for such waivers for schools impacted by the extraordinary circumstances associated with COVID-19 to the greatest extent permitted by federal law. Additionally, NYSED will ensure that no school or district is unfairly penalized for closures due to COVID-19.Suspension of 3-8 ELA Test.
NYSED has suspended the shipments of Grades 3-8 English Language Arts (ELA) Tests that were originally scheduled to arrive in schools March 16-18. The opening of the computer-based testing window for ELA, scheduled for March 23, has been suspended as well. NYSED is currently working on its plans for the State assessments. The Office of State Assessment will continue to communicate with schools and districts as more information becomes available. During the time of closure, schools need not focus on State assessments and can devote their efforts toward local school and community needs.
March 17 Memo : Suspension of the Spring 2020 Grades 3–8 English Language Arts Test Shipments and Computer-based Test Window Opening
NYSED has announced that most state assessments have been suspended for the remainder of the school year. This suspension applies to the following New York State testing programs:
New York State Grades 3-8 English Language Arts Test;
New York State Grades 3-8 Mathematics Test;
New York State Grade 4 Elementary-Level Science Test;
New York State Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Science Test;
New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT) in Grades K-12; and
New York State Alternate Assessment (NYSAA) for students with severe cognitive disabilities in Grades 3-8 and high school.
AP Testing
The College Board has announced the following:
Traditional face-to-face exam administrations will not take place. Students will take a 45-minute online free-response exam at home.
Some students may want to take the exam sooner rather than later, while the content is still fresh. Other students may want more time to practice. For each AP subject, there will be 2 different testing dates.
Full details are available at College Board Update on AP Tests scheduled for 2019-2020.
SAT Testing
Link direct to College Board Update on SAT Tests
ACT Testing
ACT has rescheduled its April 4 national test date to June 13 across the U.S. in response to concerns about the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). All students registered for the April 4 test date will receive an email from ACT in the next few days informing them of the postponement and instructions for free rescheduling to June 13 or a future national test date. Link direct to ACT website for latest updates