State tests are required
SCS students take a number of exams every year, including Regents exams, Advanced Placement exams, local exams and required New York State assessments. Neither state law nor the education commissioner’s regulations detail a specific legal right or mechanism for students – or school districts – to formally refuse the required state assessments, except for certain exceptions such as those involving students with disabilities.
Grades 3-8 English Language Arts and Math State Exams:
7 Things Families Should Know
Districts can administer grades 3-8 English Language Arts and math state exams on any two consecutive days during the designated testing dates in April and May.
1. Each test will take place over two days.
The ELA and math exams will each be given to students over a two-day period. Students also will be able to take as much time as they need to complete the tests, as long as they are working productively.
2. Students will respond to a variety of question types.
Students will read short passages and answer multiple choice questions on the ELA exam. They will also provide textual evidence to explain their answers, and write an essay. Students taking the math exam will answer multiple-choice questions, and show their work on more complex, multi-step
problems.
3. State test results alone don’t determine promotions or placements.
The state prohibits districts from making student promotion/placement decisions solely based on state test scores.
4. Teachers will not be evaluated based on student test scores.
State lawmakers approved a bill in January that separates teacher/principal evaluations and grades 3-8 state ELA and math test scores. As part of the revised legislation, any use of state assessments for teacher or principal evaluations would be part of district collective bargaining agreements. The bill is expected to be signed by the governor and become law later this year.
5. Resources will be available after the exams.
The state will provide score reports to help parents understand how their child is doing in ELA and math. State officials will release some test questions before the school year ends to help teachers inform instruction and improve student learning. In June 2018, 75 percent of the questions
were released.
6. Test questions will be written by local educators.
The 2018-19 school year is the second year that test questions on the ELA and math exams will be written by New York state teachers.
7. Students in some districts will take tests on computers.
Some school districts are participating in computer-based testing, with some students taking exams on computers instead of using paper and pencil. SED is working with districts and its testing vendor toward a goal of delivering all grades 3-8 testing on computers in the future.
Testing resources for students, families, teachers
EngageNY is the official website for current materials and resources related to the Regents Reform Agenda. The agenda includes the implementation of the New York State P-12 Common Core Learning Standards (CCLS), Teacher and Leader Effectiveness (TLE), and Data-Driven Instruction (DDI).
Resource: Tests, assessments, exams as time savers
View a video about why assessments of any type are used in school and how they save time for students and teachers.
New York State testing schedule
Please refer to the district’s Google calendar for upcoming testing dates each school year.