DET 541 June (06-21) Page 3 of 15
braille editions of Regents Examinations. Students may use any special equipment that they use in the
classroom to take the test, such as special rulers, protractors, and calculators. The student may
answer the questions in any manner appropriate and familiar to that student. The student may write,
type, or braille the answers, dictate them to a proctor or a mechanical recording device, or use any
combination of these methods.
When the Department transcribes an examination into braille, questions that contain material that
cannot be reproduced in a manner understandable to a blind student are modified. The questions are
reworded or replaced with questions that measure skills similar to those measured by the original
questions. Unless otherwise noted, the scoring key provided by the Department can be used for both
the printed and braille editions of the examination. Separate scoring keys are provided for the braille
editions of the Regents Examinations in Living Environment and Physical Setting/Earth Science.
Reader-Administered Examinations. A proctor should use the regular examination booklet when
reading an examination to a student with a disability. The principal should provide the proctor with an
examination booklet one hour prior to the required starting time so that the proctor can become familiar
with the examination questions before reading them to the student.
When test items are to be read, the entire test must be read, including reading passages, questions,
and answer choices. The test must be read in a neutral manner, without intonation or emphasis, and
without otherwise drawing attention to key words or phrases. Passages and questions must be read
word-for-word, without any clarification or explanation. (However, such content may be read more than
once.)
Unless the IEP or 504 Plan specifically disallows it, when reading a mathematics test question to a
student who has this accommodation, all numbers and mathematics symbols, along with words, should
be spoken by the proctor to the student. For example, the symbol < should be read as “less than,”
and 1,211 should be read as “one thousand, two hundred, eleven.” However, test questions may never
be modified, nor may proctors provide additional examples.
Reference Materials for Regents Examinations. Provide for students with disabilities all information
normally provided to students. All reference materials for Regents Examinations—tables, charts, and
graphs—are available in large type and braille. These materials will be supplied with the braille or
large-type examinations. When reading a test to a student in accordance with the student’s IEP or 504
Plan, the proctor may read the required reference information to the student as long as this does not
give the student an unfair advantage. Students may not use English language dictionaries, either
printed or electronic.
Adm
inistering Examinations to English Language Learners (ELLs)
Schools may provide the following testing accommodations to ELLs.
• Time Extension. Schools may extend the test time for ELLs. Principals may use any reasonable
extensions, such as “time and a half” (the required testing time plus half that amount), in
accordance with their best judgment about the needs of the ELLs. Principals should consult with
each student’s classroom teacher in making these determinations.
• Next-Day Completion of Testing. ELLs who have been granted the accommodation of extended
time and are scheduled to take two Regents Examinations on the same day may be approved by
the school principal for the new accommodation of Next-Day Completion of a Regents
Examination. If 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 on the date the Department scheduled the administration of those
examinations. The student must then complete the remainder of the afternoon examination on the
next school day. Prior to administration, the school principal must complete and submit to the Office
of State Assessment (OSA) an Assurance form. For more information, see the
memorandum
on
the Department’s website.
• Separate Location. Schools are encouraged to provide optimal testing environments and facilities
for all students. They may administer Regents Examinations to ELLs individually or in small groups
in a separate location.