The Minisink Valley Central School District will administer New York State assessments beginning Monday, April 19  for students in Grades 3 to 8 in our Middle School and Intermediate/Otisville Elementary schools.

At the close of this letter, you’ll find a link to a survey asking you to provide information regarding your child’s participation in these assessments.

Currently, the New York State Department of Education (NYSED) is attempting to cancel all assessments via a K-12 testing waiver request to the U.S. Department of Education. This waiver request was sent on Feb. 12, and we don’t know yet if  the NYSED effort will be successful.

While Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires every state to assess all students in grades 3-8 in English language arts and math each year, and at least once in high school, this school year is obviously different.

On March 15,  NYSED announced that if the exams are required to be held, only Session 1 of the Grades 3-8 English Language Arts (ELA) and math tests will be required; and only the one session written test component of the Grades 4 and 8 Science Tests will be administered.

Most 2021 Regents exams canceled; limited Grades 3 to 8 assessments to be administered

This year, all tests will be conducted on paper, and not online as in past years. Students who participate in the assessments will be required to attend in person, as remote testing will not be an option.  However, we cannot require parents who have chosen a fully remote option for their child to send their children to school to sit for these assessments.

Assessments are scheduled to begin on the following dates. Building specific dates will be communicated in the next few weeks:

• ELA
  Monday, April 19
• Mathematics
  Monday, May 3
• Science (Only Grades 4 and 8)
  Monday, June 7

At the state level, high exam participation helps education leaders identify achievement gaps and provide extra support to the students who need it the most. States must ensure that 95 percent of students in each public school, including charter schools, participate yearly in required state assessments.  For your further awareness: NYSED Office of State Assessments 

We understand that, as in past years, some parents will not want their children to be part of this annual assessment.  This includes parents who have opted to have their children participate in fully remote instruction.  In order to better understand the intentions regarding participation in these assessments, as well as with our planning process, we are asking parents to complete the following survey:

New York State assessment intention to participate survey

This form must be returned to us by Wednesday, March. 24.

Your timely response gives us ample time to properly plan for this important testing, particularly during this unique school year. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s principal.