Statewide assessments will not be required for the 2019-20 school year.

 

The U.S. Department of Education has informally approved the South Dakota Department of Education’s waiver of statewide assessment requirements, accountability and school identification requirements for the school year.

 

Through this waiver, South Dakota will not need to administer its statewide assessments to students, to make annual accountability determinations, to identify new schools for support and improvement, or to provide certain data on state and local report cards for the 2019-20 school year.

 

“With the extended school closures in South Dakota related to COVID-19 concerns, our schools are suddenly facing an unprecedented challenge to meet their students’ needs in new, innovative ways,” Secretary of Education Dr. Ben Jones said in a statement.

 

“They are meeting this challenge with unwavering fortitude, and I’m glad we can at least take statewide assessment off their plates to help ease the burden.”

 

On Tuesday, Gov. Kristi Noem requested school districts remained closed through May 1.

 

For information and resources related to the Coronavirus and its affect on education, check the ASBSD Blog.