North Carolina's Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) is opening the floor to public commentary regarding its latest educational request. The department plans to submit a waiver to exceed the federally set 1.0 percent cap on students who can be assessed using an alternate assessment in any given subject area. The rule usually limits States to administering such alternate assessments to only a small percentage of students, but NCDPI anticipates it will surpass this boundary.
By making a move to outreach, the NCDPI aims to gather public opinion before the January 15, 2025, deadline. Statewide assessments are an essential part of measuring educational achievements, and the waiver would specifically concern "any school year" for certain assessments. Individuals and organizations can learn more about the proposed changes and submit their perspectives via written comments as described on the NCDPI website.
The waiver would modify the guidelines established under section 34 C.F.R §200.6(c)(2) of federal regulations, which emphasize the necessity of standard assessments as a way to gauge student comprehension and school performance on a comparable scale. Should the Secretary approve the waiver, it will grant North Carolina a temporary reprieve from these rules for one school year in a specific subject where they foresee exceeding the cap.
