Dear MCS families,
Students in grades 3-8 will once again take the New York State assessments this year, scheduled for this spring. Last school year, New York received a blanket waiver from the U.S. Dept. of Education to suspend state testing in the wake of school closures due to the pandemic. However, federal education officials have announced that they do not intend to grant blanket waivers this year. Instead, they are offering states flexibility in how they administer their testing programs in order to do so safely for students and staff.
As we await guidance from the New York State Education Department (NYSED) about what flexibilities we may be given, please know that we remain committed to ensuring a safe testing environment for all of our staff and students.
Despite the unique circumstances we face this year, as always our teachers will use these state assessments to help identify what our students have learned in relation to the standards for their grade level. Your child’s scores on the state tests will not affect their grades. Although no single test can provide a complete picture of a child’s abilities, when combined with grades, classroom activities, unit quizzes and tests, annual assessments help us determine how we can best support a student’s learning moving forward. With all of these, we simply ask that our students try their best.
On a related note, the state Board of Regents is scheduled to meet this month to consider potential changes to current Regents exam requirements for high school students, in light of the federal government’s announcement about waivers. Please know that when we receive more information from the state about administering assessments, we will share that information with you.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me.
Sincerely,
Brian Dunn
Superintendent of Schools