Ruling limits schools’ options
Washington: Assessment tests cannot be canceled
State education officials say they are “exploring all possible options” after the Biden administration declined to grant a waiver for state assessments this year as was done last spring, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced school buildings to close.
New York is among several states that asked the U.S. Department of Education to exempt students from this year’s testing requirements for grades three through eight.
Acting Assistant Education Secretary Ian Rosenblum wrote in a letter to state leaders that exams must take place, but he said the test scores would not be tied to school performance and accommodations
“In a year that has been anything but standard, mandating that students take standardized tests just doesn’t make sense.” Andy Pallotta, president of New York State United Teachers
should be made for remote learners.
“To be successful once schools have reopened, we need to understand the impact COVID-19 has had on learning and identify what resources and supports students need,” Rosenblum wrote.
States may seek permission to shorten the tests, offer the exams virtually, or even delay the deadline for students to sit for the exam into next year, the guidance states.
In response to the decision, the state Education Department will move at next month’s Board of Regents meeting to cancel all Regents exams this year, according to an agency spokeswoman. The department canceled the January Regents, but state officials said they were awaiting guidance from the federal government before making a decision about the June and August exams.
“While we are disappointed by this decision, we are examining all possible options,” department spokeswoman Emily Desantis said in a statement Tuesday. “We continue to have discussions with USDE regarding this matter to find a path forward that is best for the health and safety of all New York’s children.”
Desantis said the Biden administration “made the right call in affirming that no child should be made to come to school to take a state assessment.”
The guidance deals a blow to teachers unions and parent groups that have been calling for all state assessments and Regents exams to be canceled this year. Educators have raised questions about how effective the tests can be at assessing learning loss when those who fell most behind during the pandemic — such as students in poverty or with special needs — are less likely to have access to the exams.
New York State United Teachers on Tuesday strongly rebuked the federal mandate that states administer standardized tests this school year.
“In a year that has been anything but standard, mandating that students take standardized tests just doesn’t make sense,” NYSUT President Andy Pallotta said. “As the educators in the classroom, we have always known that standardized tests are not the best way to measure a child’s development, and they are especially unreliable right now. We need to ensure that our students who have been hit hardest during the pandemic receive the support they need.”
NYSUT previously encouraged the state to request a federal waiver of testing requirements for grades three through eight and high school. Thousands of comments were submitted to the state by educators demanding the tests be canceled.
Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, issued a similar statement.
“It is a frustrating turn to see the administration ask states to continue requiring assessments during this tumultuous school year,” she said. “We have always known that standardized tests are not the best way to measure a child’s development.”