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Home > Instruction & Assessment > Assessment > Assessment Exemptions

Assessment Exemptions

All students enrolled in a public school district are expected to take part in Rhode Island’s statewide academic assessment program in one of three ways:

participate in the general education assessments without accommodations
participate in the general education assessments with accommodations
participate in the alternate assessments

Students may only be exempted from testing under certain, limited conditions.

Rhode Island defines a serious illness or medical condition as one that prevents the student from receiving classroom instruction and from participating in statewide assessments for the remainder of the testing window. The tabs below contain the information and guidance necessary to complete a request for a medical exemption.

Guidance and Forms

NOTE: The guidance document and forms 1 and 3 have been updated for 2018-19.

Guidance Documents:

Medical Exemption Guidance Document (pdf): This document explains the criteria a student's situation should meet in order to receive an exemption from statewide testing, the steps districts and schools must take to complete an exemption, and directions for entering the exemption request into the eRIDE system.
Below are downloadable copies of each form you will need in order to complete the request. These forms are also included in the guidance document.

Individual Forms:

Form 1: District Assurances (pdf): This form must be completed and signed by the superintendent of the district where the student is enrolled. Keep on file at the district office and fax to RIDE at 401-222-3605.
Form 2: Parent Forms (pdf). The parent or guardian of the student must sign this form and submit it to the school or district office. Keep on file at the district office; do not fax to RIDE.
- Portuguese version of Form 2 (pdf)
- Spanish version of Form 2 (pdf)
Form 3: Treating Physician/Mental Health Professional Form (pdf):: This form must be signed by the physician or mental health professional who is treating the student. Keep on file at the district office; do not fax to RIDE.

NOTE: The online testing platforms may allow for schools to enter "not tested" codes, such as a medical or other exemption type. RIDE does not consider these approved exemptions. The only way to receive an approved exemption from testing is to complete the process outlined in the Medical Exemption Guidance document.

Directions for Submitting a Medical Exemption Request through eRIDE

In addition to completing the forms and faxing Form 1 to RIDE, districts must enter the exemption request into the State Assessment Exemption Requests application in order for the request to be considered for approval.

Instructions for entering the exemption request into the State Assessment Exemption Requests application in eRIDE can be found in the back of the Medical Exemption Guidance document.
Link to log into eRIDE: www.eride.ri.gov/login_secure.asp.

NOTE:

Outplacement schools cannot enter exemption requests into eRIDE. The sending district must complete the request in eRIDE, sign Form 1 and fax it to RIDE at 401-222-3605.
The superintendent's office has access to the State Assessment Exemption Requests application in eRIDE. Principals and other school administrators do not.

Due Dates for Submitting Medical Exemption Requests

In order for an exemption request to be considered complete, Form 1 must be received by RIDE and the request must be entered into the State Assessment Exemption Requests application on eRIDE by the dates listed below. Please see the other tabs for information on completing a request.

Due dates for submitting an exemption request:

Friday, March 1, 2019: ACCESS for ELLs and Alternate ACCESS for ELLs
Friday, May 31, 2019:
- DLM alternate assessments (ELA, mathematics, science)
- PSAT10
- SAT
- RICAS (ELA and mathematics)
- NGSA

NOTE: The online testing platforms may allow for schools to enter "not tested" codes, such as a medical or other approved exemption. RIDE does not consider these approved exemptions. The only way to receive an approved exemption from testing is to complete the process outlined in the Medical Exemption Guidance document.

Directions for Outplacement Schools

Outplacement schools are responsible for the following:

Ensuring the request meets the criteria for a medical exemption
Communicating to the sending district the reason a medical exemption should be requested
Completing Forms 2 and 3 (the parent and physician/mental health professional forms).
Ensuring the sending district has copies of Forms 2 and 3. The outplacement school should keep the original copies

Sending districts are responsible for the following:

Reviewing the reason for the request to ensure it meets the criteria for a medical exemption
Discussing the reason for the request with the outplacement school.
Reviewing Forms 2 and 3
Completing and faxing Form 1 to RIDE at 401-222-3605
Entering the request into the Statewide Assessment Requests application on eRIDE.
Answering any questions RIDE may have about the request.