Connecticut Field Testing Flexibility Determination Letter



January 30, 2014

The Honorable Stephan Pryor
Commissioner of Education
Connecticut State Department of Education
165 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106

Dear Commissioner Pryor:

I am writing in response to the Connecticut State Department of Education’s (CSDE) request on behalf of select local educational agencies (LEAs) to waive certain statutory and regulatory requirements of Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). Specifically, CSDE has requested on behalf of the select LEAs a one-year waiver to allow all schools in those LEAs to field test assessments for all students in the tested grades in mathematics and reading/language arts aligned to college- and career-ready standards developed by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium in lieu of the State’s assessments in grades 3 through 8 and high school. CSDE has also requested flexibility in accountability determinations for the selected LEAs and schools.

I am pleased to grant, pursuant to my authority under section 9401 of the ESEA, a one-year waiver of the following statutory and regulatory requirements under Title I, Part A of the ESEA, as amended, and their associated regulatory provisions:

This waiver is granted to the CSDE on the condition that it will implement the following assurances:

Please be aware that this waiver of requirements related to Connecticut’s standards and assessment system under the ESEA is not a determination that the system complies with Federal civil rights requirements, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This waiver does not apply to statutory and regulatory requirements regarding science assessments under Title I, Part A of the ESEA.

I hope you find this flexibility helpful. I look forward to working with you and your staff as you implement this flexibility and as you continue working to improve education in Connecticut.

Sincerely,

/s/

Deborah S. Delisle

cc: Ajit Gopalakrishnan


Last Modified: 01/30/2014