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 Documents:

  • Information on how to submit an exemption request begins in Appendix E: Requesting Medical Exemptions from Statewide Assessments, in the RISAP Test Coordinator Handbook posted at 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 RI Portal system.
  • Recorded presentation on medical exemptions (12.2023)

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.

Districts must enter the exemption request into the State Assessment Exemption Requests application in the RI Portal in order for the request to be considered for approval.

NOTE:

  • Outplacement schools cannot enter exemption requests into the RI Portal. The sending district must complete the request in the RI Portal.
  • The superintendent's office has access to the State Assessment Exemption Requests application in the RI Portal. Principals and other school administrators do not.

In order for an exemption request to be considered complete, the request must be entered into the State Assessment Exemption Requests application in the RI Portal by your district. Sign-in is required. Dates for completing medical exemption requests are listed below. Please see the other tabs for information on completing a request. 

2024 Dates for completing medical exemption requests in the RI Portal State Assessment Exemption Requests application. Districts can begin the process for completing the forms at any time. The medical exemption request must be entered into the RI portal before a request is considered complete and can be reviewed:

TEST EXEMPTION REQUEST OPEN EXEMPTION REQUEST CLOSED
ACCESS / Alt ACCESS March 1 April 1
NAEP N/A N/A
DLM April 26 June 30
SAT April 26 June 30
PSAT10 April 26 June 30
RICAS ELA April 26 June 30
RICAS Math April 26 June 30
NGSA April 26 June 30

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 exemptionsThe only way to receive an approved exemption from testing is to complete the process outlined in the RISAP Test Coordinator Handbook.

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
  • entering Form 1 assurances into the medical exemption application on the RI Portal
  • answering any questions RIDE may have about the request
  • keeping medical exemption documentation in a secure location at the district office