The purpose of this memorandum is to advise you of a new testing accommodation for English Language Learners/Multilingual Learners (ELL/MLLs) taking Regents Examinations. Principals may now approve Next-Day Completion of a Regents Examination for an ELL/MLL or former ELL/MLL who has been granted the accommodation of extended time and is scheduled to take two Regents Examinations on the same day. This new accommodation, referred to as Next-Day Completion, will be available beginning with the January 2019 Regents Examination period.

As an accommodation to ELL/MLLs and eligible former ELL/MLLs, schools may extend the test time for these students to take Regents Examinations (http://www.nysed.gov/bilingual-ed/english-language-learnermultilingual-learner-assessment-testing-accommodations). However, stakeholders around the State have raised the concern that sometimes ELL/MLLs who have been granted the accommodation of extended time are scheduled to take two Regents Examinations on the same day, resulting in students testing for an excessive number of hours in a single day. Next-Day Completion of testing for these students will reduce their hours of testing in a single day and allow them to better demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the subject.

This accommodation will be limited to current and former ELL/MLLs with two Regents Examinations scheduled on the same day and who also have the accommodation of extended time. If the Next-Day Completion is approved by the school principal, the student must complete the entire morning examination and at least the first part (Part 1 or Part A) of the afternoon examination (the second scheduled Regents Examination) on the date the Department scheduled the administration of those Regents Examinations. The student must then complete the remainder of the afternoon examination on the next school day.

Prior to the administration of the Regents Examinations to which this accommodation will be applied, the principal must complete and submit the attached Assurance of Next-Day Completion of Testing for English Language Learners/ Multilingual Learners on Regents Examinations form (Assurance form) for all students in the school who will be receiving this accommodation. This form must be mailed to the Office of State Assessment (OSA) and postmarked no later than the day before the administration of the affected Regents Examinations. As long as the school has mailed in the Assurance form by this deadline, the school may provide the Next-Day Completion accommodation to the named students without having to wait for an acknowledgement from the Department.

A copy of each completed Assurance form must be retained by the school. When a completed Assurance form is received by OSA, a letter of acknowledgement will be sent to the school principal. This Assurance form for Next-Day Completion will apply to all subsequent Regents Examination periods when two examinations are scheduled on the same day for that student administered in that school district, for as long as the student is an ELL/MLL or former ELL/MLL who has the accommodation of extended time. However, if a student for whom a school has authorized administration of Regents Examinations with Next-Day Completion later transfers to another school district, the student’s new district will need to submit an Assurance form if the student is recommended for this accommodation in the new district. Completed Assurance forms are to be mailed to OSA:

New York State Education Department

Office State Assessment

89 Washington Avenue, Room 775 EBA

Albany, NY 12234

Attention: Next-Day Completion

Additionally, schools must ensure that two security certificates (attached) are completed and signed by the principal and the student’s parent/guardian, respectively, for each student receiving Next-Day Completion. These certificates must be completed for each administration period in which the student is receiving this accommodation. The signed security certificates must be retained in the student’s education record. (The certificate that is ordinarily signed by the parent or guardian may instead be signed by the student if the student is eighteen years of age or older.) The examination that was completed on the second day will not be valid until the school has filed the two signed certificates in the student’s education record.

There are several important considerations and procedures associated with administration of a Regents Examination with Next-Day Completion that must be adhered to:

• Students eligible for Next-Day Completion of Regents Examinations must be ELLs/MLLs or eligible former ELLs/MLLs with two Regents Examinations scheduled for the same day, and must also have the accommodation of extended time.
• Each Regents Examination must begin on the date scheduled by the Department for its administration. All parts of the first examination must be completed on the scheduled day and at least the first part (Part 1 or Part A) of the second Regents Examination must be completed on the scheduled day.
• Each Regents Examination must begin on the date scheduled by the Department for its administration. All parts of the first examination must be completed on the scheduled day and at least the first part (Part 1 or Part A) of the second Regents Examination must be completed on the scheduled day.
• Just prior to beginning administration of the second Regents Examination (the one which will be completed on the next school day), school personnel authorized by the principal must separate pages of the examination booklet into its clearly defined parts.
• On the first day, the student should be given only the first part of the second Regents Examination and must complete it on that day. Upon student completion of the first part, the school may, at its discretion, give an additional part or parts to the student on that same day if time permits, but the student must then complete that additional part or parts on this day.
• A student who does not complete a part of the Regents Examination on the day it is started is not permitted to continue on that part the following day. When completing the second Regents Examination on the next day, proctors must ensure that the student does not make any changes to the part completed on the previous day.
• The remaining parts of the second Regents Examination must be completed by the student on the next school day.
• In accordance with Commissioner’s regulations, the principal is responsible for maintaining the integrity of all Regents Examinations by ensuring the secure handling, storage, and administration of all Regents Examinations, including overnight storage. Policies governing these aspects of Regents Examination administration are provided in the School Administrator's Manual, Secondary Level Examinations.Just prior to beginning administration of the second Regents Examination (the one which will be completed on the next school day), school personnel authorized by the principal must separate pages of the examination booklet into its clearly defined parts.
• On the first day, the student should be given only the first part of the second Regents Examination and must complete it on that day. Upon student completion of the first part, the school may, at its discretion, give an additional part or parts to the student on that same day if time permits, but the student must then complete that additional part or parts on this day.
• A student who does not complete a part of the Regents Examination on the day it is started is not permitted to continue on that part the following day. When completing the second Regents Examination on the next day, proctors must ensure that the student does not make any changes to the part completed on the previous day.
• The remaining parts of the second Regents Examination must be completed by the student on the next school day.
• In accordance with Commissioner’s regulations, the principal is responsible for maintaining the integrity of all Regents Examinations by ensuring the secure handling, storage, and administration of all Regents Examinations, including overnight storage. Policies governing these aspects of Regents Examination administration are provided in the School Administrator's Manual, Secondary Level Examinations.

Attached are two Sample Scenarios to help illustrate how this accommodation is to be implemented in schools.

If you have any questions regarding the process for and/or procedures relating to the administration of Next-Day Completion of Testing on Regents Examinations provided in this memorandum, you may contact OSA at 518-474-8220.

General questions regarding Regents Examinations should be directed to OSA at 518-474-5902.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sample Scenarios to Illustrate How the Next-Day Completion Accommodation is to be Implemented in Schools

Student A is scheduled for the Regents Examination in English Language Arts in the morning session and the Regents Examination in Living Environment in the afternoon session on the same day:

• Student A must first complete the entire Regents Examination in English Language Arts on the scheduled day.
• Student A must also start and complete at least Part A of the Regents Examination in Living Environment on the scheduled day. If Student A is given and begins to take any additional parts of the Regents Examination in Living Environment, then those part(s) must be completed on the scheduled day.
• Student A must complete the remainder of the Regents Examination in Living Environment on the next school day.

Student B is scheduled for the Regents Examination in United States History & Government and the Regents Examination in Geometry both in the morning session of the same day (the school will decide which examination the student will take first):

• Student B must first complete one entire Regents Examination on the scheduled day.
• Student B must also start and complete at least Part I of the other Regents Examination on the scheduled day. Any other parts of the second Regents Examination that Student B is given and begins to take on the scheduled day must also be completed that same day.
• Student B must complete the remainder of the second Regents Examination on the next school day.