Palma Addresses State Testing Concerns

Dear Parents,

In our community and throughout New York State, there have been discussions about the opting out of the New York State English language arts, Mathematics and Science Assessments. Please be aware that this is not permitted in New York State.

In January, the New York State Education Department sent a field memo to school districts that stated:

“The federal No Child Left Behind Act requires that State tests be administered in English language arts and mathematics in grades 3-8, and in science at least one during Grades 3-5 and 6-9. In accordance with the federal requirements and Sections 100.3 and 100.4 of the Commissioner’s regulations, the Department requires that all students in public and charter schools in Grades 3-8 must take all state assessments administered at their grade level.”

The New York State Education Department further states:

“The failure to comply with the requirements provided above will have a negative impact on a school or school district’s accountability, as all schools are required to have a 95% participation rate in State testing.”

In the past, this has resulted in the New York State Education Department placing schools on an “at risk” watch list with poorly performing schools.

In Merrick, student assessment results are used in a number of ways. For individual students, determinations regarding academic intervention services are based upon individual student results on the state assessments. The Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District uses student scores to make placement decisions.

Aggregated student results help us to determine the direction of our curriculum, purchasing of instructional materials and classroom instructional practice. This year, student growth information will begin to be used as a part of the principal and teacher evaluation process. All these functions are negatively impacted if our student body does not fully participate in the assessment process.

The NYS assessments only measure a portion of all the learning and development our children experience as a result of their education in Merrick. Our students are well prepared, and with the support of you and our teachers, each child will demonstrate the high level of success on these assessments that we have seen for decades in the Merrick schools.

At this time, I strongly encourage you to have your child participate in the state assessments.

If you have any questions, please contract your child’s principal or feel free to call be directly.

Dominick Palma
Superintendent of Schools.