Dear Gardner-Dickinson Families,
Spring is here! I hope you have been enjoying the sunshine and warmer weather this past week. Our students have been thrilled to get outside during school hours.
As we now find ourselves almost three-quarters of the way through the 2020-21 school year, administration typically develops plans for state assessments at this time. Following the unprecedented nature of this school year, plans have become a bit more complex.
In February, the New York State Education Department submitted a waiver to the United States Department of Education that would not require New York districts to administer state assessments due to circumstances surrounding the ongoing pandemic. At this time, that waiver has not been granted. Wynantskill UFSD is following the situation closely, but we must begin preparing plans to administer state assessments in the event the waiver does not get approved.
While students may have to take state assessment tests, there will be changes in assessments this year. Only the first session of the Grades 3-8 math and ELA exams will be administered instead of two sessions, and only the written portion of the Grades 4 and 8 science exams will be administered while the performance tests will not be given.
The district has planned to administer state assessments on the following dates:
- Wednesday, April 21 Grades 3-8 ELA Testing
- Wednesday, May 5 Grades 3-8 Math Testing
- Tuesday, June 8 Grades 4 and 8 Science Testing
All state assessments will begin at 9 a.m. on the above dates. Students will have as much time as they need to complete the assessments, though we anticipate testing to take about an hour. Assessments will be administered to all in-person students. Remote students are not required to participate in testing, but remote students may participate in testing if their parent or guardian requests.
Please do not hesitate to contact me directly with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Suzann Cornell
Gardner-Dickinson Principal
scornell@wynantskillufsd.org
518-283-4600 ext. 10