THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

Office of Elementary, Middle, Secondary & Continuing Education

Information and Reporting Services

Tel. (518) 474-7965

Fax (518) 474-4351

 

June 2004

 

To:                  District Superintendents of Schools

Superintendents of Public Schools

Administrator of Charter Schools

 

From:             Martha P. Musser

 

Subject:        Reporting of Secondary-Level Examination Scores through STEP

 

The Department, under specific circumstances, has allowed students to use local course grades to meet a testing component of the State graduation requirements. In June 2003, students in grade 11 or 12 were allowed to use a local mathematics course score to satisfy the mathematics testing requirement for graduation. On February 2, 2004, James Kadamus issued issued a memorandum allowing certain seniors to use local course scores in place of January 2004 Regents examinations or Regents competency tests other than the Regents Comprehensive Examination in English to satisfy State testing requirements for local diplomas.  (The memorandum may be found at the following address: http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/deputy/assessment/inclementweather-fm02-02.html).

 

While local course grades may be used under specified conditions to satisfy diploma requirements, under no circumstances may a local course grade be reported to the Department through the System for Tracking Educational Progress (STEP).  Nor, consistent with No Child Left Behind requirements, may a course grade rather than a score on an approved assessment be used in determining a district’s or school’s accountability status.  If a student reported in the district’s 2004 STEP file as enrolled in grade 12 does not have a score on a qualifying examination in English or mathematics, that student will be counted as not participating in testing in that subject. (Please see the January 2004 memorandum on Accountability Changes at the following address:  http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/deputy/Documents/1-04accountabilityFM.html for more information on the participation requirement at the secondary level.) For students in the 1999 accountability cohort, the highest score earned on a qualifying English or mathematics examination will be used in determining the district’s and school’s performance indices in those subjects.  If your district has students who have met the diploma requirements in English and/or mathematics using a local course grade, you should determine whether they have appropriate qualifying scores in English and mathematics for accountability.

 

If you have questions about reporting assessment scores in STEP, please contact the Office of Information and Reporting Services at 518-474-7965.

 

cc:                   STEP Coordinators