ADMINISTRATION OF STATE EXAMINATIONS OVER MULTIPLE DAYS 
(Revised March 2005)

This test accommodation is applicable to all assessments provided by the State Education Department (SED) for administration at the elementary, intermediate and secondary levels.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS accommodation FOR STATE EXAMINATIONS REQUIRES PRIOR APPROVAL FROM THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.^[1]

Application materials must be submitted to SED, Office of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID), One Commerce Plaza, Room 1624, Albany, New York 12234, at least three months prior to the scheduled administration.  Application materials must include all of the following:

• a narrative statement from the Committee on Special Education (CSE), Section 504 Multidisciplinary Team (504 Team) or the principal requesting this accommodation and describing the student's need for this test accommodation;

• a copy of the student's current individualized education program (IEP) or Section 504 Accommodation Plan which documents the CSE/504 Team recommendation for multiple day testing; and

• evaluation materials (CSE or Section 504) which demonstrate the need for this test accommodation.

A determination regarding the authorization of multiple day administration of State assessments will be made by VESID, and the school district will be notified of its determination. 

This test accommodation is designed to permit students with disabilities who are unable to complete one examination in a single day an equitable opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and competencies. It is appropriate to indicate the conditions or types of tests that require this accommodation.  For example, the CSE may recommend this accommodation in the event the student experiences a seizure on the day of the test.

Other important considerations and procedures associated with this test accommodation are:

• Each secondary-level examination must begin on the date scheduled by the Office of State Assessment for its general administration.  At the elementary and intermediate levels, the assessment must begin during the testing period determined by SED on the same day as the general education students assessment of the same title begins. In the event the student has two tests scheduled on the same day, both tests must begin on that day.

• Students with accommodations indicated on the IEP/504 Plan that permit extended time or to whom the multiple-day accommodation is made available may begin no more than two State assessments on any single day.  Students with either of those accommodations who have more than two State assessments scheduled to begin on the same day must postpone one until the next regularly scheduled examination period (January, June or August) at the earliest.

• The student must receive the amount of extended time indicated on his or her IEP/504 Plan to complete the examination or section(s) administered during a given day.

• Just prior to beginning a multiple day administration, the school must separate the examination into clearly defined sections or parts.

• Students may be given individual sections to complete one at a time and may be permitted to start additional sections only if they are expected to complete all of those sections on that day. This ensures that there will be no advance knowledge of upcoming sections and content of the test not completed on an individual day,

• Students who do not complete a section on the day it is begun are not permitted to complete that section on the following day. (Students may be given a photocopy of previous sections they have begun so that they have access to information in these sections, but no changes may be made to student responses provided on any section begun on an earlier day or session). 

• On subsequent testing days, the student will be given additional sections to complete.  These sections must be provided one at a time.

• In accordance with SED policy and education law, the principal is responsible for the secure handling and storage, and administration of all State examination materials, including overnight storage.  Policies governing these aspects of test administration are available in the School Administrator’s Manuals, which may be accessed at:

http://www.emsc.nysed/gov/osa/hsinfogen/hsinfogenarch/sam2001.pdf(Secondary)
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/elintgen/html (Elementary and Intermediate)

• The student, proctor(s), principal and parents or guardians must complete the required affidavits concerning the security of examination materials.

Questions regarding this testing accommodation may be referred to vesidspe@mail.nysed.gov.