The first exams your child will encounter in the New York Public School system will be the New York State exams, which test your child’s knowledge on three core subjects: English Language Arts (ELA), Math, and Science. The first exams will be administered in Grade 3, meaning your child will not be expected to take any exams in Grades 1 or 2.
ELA State Test
The ELA State Test is administered annually in Grades 3 through 8, with each year getting progressively more challenging to reflect the Grade’s curriculum. The test itself aims to assess your child’s abilities in reading and writing English, taking place over the course of two days:
- First day: features multiple-choice questions based on short passages.
- Second day: features open-ended questions based on stories, articles, or poems. All questions in this section are expected to be answered in short paragraphs except for the last question, in which the student is expected to write a short essay using evidence from the given passages.
Math State Test
Similar to the ELA Test, The Math State Test is administered annually in Grades 3 through 8 with increasing difficulty. Additionally, the Math Test follows the same format as the ELA Test:
- First day: features multiple-choice questions based on equations or word problems.
- Second day: features open-ended questions in which the student must both find the answer to a mathematical question and explain their reasoning.
Please note that the only available French translations of the Math State Test are French oral translations.
Science State Test
The Science State Test is not administered annually the way that the ELA and Math State Tests are. The Science State Test is strictly taken twice, in Grades 5 and 8. (Students who are being considered for placement into an accelerated science course in Grade 8 can take the test in Grade 7 and will not have to take it again in Grade 8.) Additionally, the Science State Test only takes place in one session, not over the course of multiple days. The Test assesses the student’s general scientific knowledge, as well as their ability to use scientific inquiry techniques, such as formulating hypotheses and making predictions. Please note that the only available French translations of the Science State Test are French oral translations.
All New York State Tests are:
- Administered in Spring of the academic school year.
- Taken digitally, on a computer, as opposed to on paper.
- Completely untimed.
- Graded 2-4 weeks after being taken.
Students can earn one of four scores on any State Test:
- Below Standards.
- Approaching Standards.
- Meeting Standards.
- Exceeding Standards.
New York State Alternative Exam
Some students with an IEP are eligible to take the New York State Alternative Exam, which substitutes for the New York State ELA, Math, and Science exams. The NY State Alternative Exam consists of Dynamic Learning Maps Assessments, which are testlets with engagement activities. If your child is eligible to take this exam, this information will be provided in their IEP.
