School assessments get waiver

NEW YORK STATE--The New York State Education Department's Board of Regents on Monday, April 6, adopted emergency regulations for educators, students, professionals and others to address interruptions in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. A series of amendments address numerous issues resulting from the interruptions at districts, institutions of higher education and for licensed professionals. All June Regents testing is canceled for this school year.
"The COVID-19 pandemic has put a tremendous burden on many New Yorkers and our schools and children are no exception," Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa said. "The regulations passed by the board today will allow schools, students and professionals much-needed flexibility while they adapt to this rapidly evolving situation."
School and District Accountability
The federal government has provided New York state with a one-year waiver from provisions of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) pertaining to state assessments and district accountability determinations due to the unique circumstances that have arisen as a result of COVOID-19. Therefore, the department amends the commissioner's regulations to specify the commissioner will not conduct a review of school and district performance using 2019-20 school year data. The accountability status of public schools and districts for the 2020-21 school year will remain the same as for the 2019-20 school year; and 2018-19 school year results shall be used in any instance where 2019-20 school year results would have been used as part of the process of making 2021-22 school year accountability determinations.
Additionally, the proposed amendment provides that the commissioner may, upon a finding of good cause, modify timelines for the 2019-20 through 2021-22 school years [any required timelines] pertaining to notifications, plans, reports, or implementation of activities required of schools and districts because of their accountability status during those school years.
State Aid
The amendments permit public school districts, public schools and charter schools to operate for fewer than 180 days without a reduction in State Aid if a school is closed pursuant to the terms of Executive Order(s) of the Governor. This amendment also permits missed instructional hours for any day that a school is closed pursuant to the Executive Order to count.