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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:

  1. participate in the general education assessments without accommodations
  2. participate in the general education assessments with accommodations
  3. 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

Guidance Documents:

  • Information on how to submit a exemption request begins in Appendix E: Requesting Medical Exemptions from Statewide Assessments, page 44 of the RISAP Test Coordinator Handbook (www.ride.ri.gov/tc). This section 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.

Individual Forms:

NOTE: The online testing platforms may allow for schools to enter "not tested" codes, such as a medical or other exemption types. 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 section of the RISAP Handbook.

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.

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.

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 in eRIDE. Dates for completing medical exemption requests are listed below. Please see the other tabs for information on completing a request. 

Dates for completing medical exemption requests in the eRIDE State Assessment Exemption Requests application. Districts can begin the process for completing the forms at any time. Form 1 must be faxed to RIDE before a request is considered complete and can be reviewed:

  • ACCESS for ELLs and Alternate ACCESS for ELLs:
    • First day requests can be submitted: January 4, 2021
    • Last day requests can be submitted: February 26, 2021
  • All other assessments (DLM, PSAT10, SAT, RICAS, NGSA):
    • First day requests can be submitted: April 5, 2021
    • Last day requests can be submitted: June 4, 2021
NOTES: 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 RISAP Test Coordinator Handbook.

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.