Schodack CSD Families,
Unlike last year, students in New York State will have to take state assessment tests for the 2020-2021 school year.
Earlier this year, the New York State Board of Regents petitioned the federal Department of Education for a waiver to cancel the Grades 3-8 Math and English Language Arts exams, as well as the Grades 4 and 8 Science exams. These exams were canceled during the 2019-2020 school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
While students will have to take the state assessment tests, there will be some changes this year. Only the first session of the Grades 3-8 Math and ELA exams will be administered instead of two sessions. Only the written portion of the Grades 4-8 Science exams will be administered while the performance tests will not be given.
Please be aware that the New York State Education Department has stated that it will not be possible to administer any state assessments remotely this year. All exams will be administered in-person. Students who have opted to learn in a fully remote environment will not be expected to participate, though they will have the option of attending in-person to complete the assessments. All students who attend school in-person to take the exams will be prohibited from bringing cell phones and other personal electronic devices with them.
This week, the state Board of Regents deployed emergency regulations for exemptions to Regents diploma requirements. For June examinations, only exams required under the Every Student Succeeds Act will take place, including English Language Arts, Algebra 1, Earth Science and Living Environment. August Regents exams will be canceled.
We will continue to update our community as more information is released closer to the date of the state assessments.
