High School Equivalency (HSE)

The NYSED High School Equivalency Office is following all State and Local Department of Health Guidance concerning COVID-19, including the protocols for regional phased-in re-opening implemented by the Governor.  Under such processes, eligibility for reopening will be determined by health metrics for each region, as monitored by Regional Control Rooms.

TASC Test Centers should consult with their parent organizations and all State and Local Department of Health guidance regarding regional phased-in reopening as well as health and safety changes that might be necessary to implement upon re-opening.

Information can be found at the New York State Website

The NYSED Board of Regents have adopted many regulatory changes to address educational challenges during COVID-19. For more information, please review the High School Equivalency (HSE) Guidance.

One regulatory change addresses students who were planning to take (canceled) TASC sub-tests and provides exemptions from TASC testing during COVID-19 if the following criteria are met:

• Enrolled in an approved alternative High School Equivalency (HSE) preparation program or an adult education preparation program; and
• Previously took and passed a combination of at least three Regents examinations and/or applicable TASC or GED subject sub-tests; and
• For the remaining two sub-tests, the student achieves a passing grade in the corresponding preparation program coursework.

Reporting of student data to the NYSED HSE Office will be conducted by alternative education and adult education preparation program administrators and not by individual student applicants.   Students who believe they may be a candidate for this exemption, should work directly with their preparation program.  If HSE preparation programs have questions, please contact HSETC@nysed.gov.Thank you.

1. All NYS TASC Test® test centers should close and remain closed until further notice.
2. Test centers should contact all examinees, who are scheduled to test, to notify them that testing has been canceled and alert the Data Recognition Corporation (DRC) by canceling testing in the scheduling system. Also, please notify the public in your area through postings on your web sites, phone messages, etc.
3. There will be no penalties to test centers or examinees for canceled tests.
4. Please send as soon as possible - to HSE or DRC - all completed testing materials and accompanying documents for all test sessions which have already occurred.
5. The HSE walk up window, located at the NYSED building in Albany, will remain closed until further notice.
6. All test centers, examinees and others should continue to check this HSE Announcements page for updated information.
7. Test Centers should send email inquiries to the designated Test Center email box, and all others should send emails to HSE@nysed.gov.

New York State Test Centers that administer TASC subtests in Spanish will receive their PQR Spanish Paper-Based Tests (PBT) between February 12-14, 2020. Initial order quantities have been calculated based on your actual 2019 testing numbers.

Accommodated Spanish materials will be offered via the short-add form on February 18, 2020. Ordering can begin immediately but please be aware that material fulfillment for Spanish Audio CD’s will not occur until March 26, 2020. 

PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF IMPORTANT DATES:

February 15-17, 2020: No TASC testing should be scheduled for February 15 –17, 2020. Paper-based Spanish materials may be ordered beginning on February 18, 2020.  

February 18, 2020: Computer-based and Paper-based versions of TASC Test PQR Spanish and English are available. ALL Paper-based materials can be ordered via the short-add order form on the TASC secure zone.

February 21, 2020: After the delivery of TASC Test PQR, Test Centers will need to inventory the print-based testing materials received against the TASC Test Security Checklist that will be included in the shipment. Please use the same boxes to return your old TASC Test MNO materials to DRC for secure destruction by February 21, 2020.

If you have any questions, please contact TASC Test Customer Support, at DRC: TASCorders@datarecognitioncorporation.com.

HSE will provide mandated TASC Test™ administration training for all NEW Test Center Coordinators and Examiners on March 4, 2020, from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the NYSED building in Albany. This one time, in-person training is required for all NEW Coordinators and Examiners and provides important information on NYSED policies and procedures for administering the TASC Test™ 

Visit the website for an online registration form.

For hands on training, it is best practice, if possible, to “shadow” another Examiner or Coordinator after attending the in-person training, but before officially administering the TASC Test ™.

Also, both new AND returning Examiners and Coordinators need to participate in the Data Recognition Corporation’s (DRC) online webinars on the PQR series prior to administering PQR TASC Test™ exams.    

DRC Webinars are available via the Secure Zone. Please contact DRC directly : tasctesthelpdesk@datarecognitioncorp.com if you have an issues accessing the webinars. Thank you.

Information about the Regents-HSE Exam Pathway -  specifically what constitutes Regents credit under certain circumstances -  has been clarified through a revised posting of the Frequently Asked Questions.

The NYSED HSE Office has developed a new signature form for examinees taking the TASC™.   The online Signature and Demographic Form  replaces the signature cards that were previously mailed to Test Centers by the HSE Office.  Test Centers will now print the signature forms for TASC™ examinees to complete prior to testing. These completed forms will continue to be mailed to NYSED after the testing session. HSE will continue to accept the original signature cards if you would like to use them all before printing new forms. Please contact HSE@nysed.gov if you have an questions. Thank you.

In preparation for the upcoming TASC™ PQR administration - see announcement below dated November 21, 2019 - DRC is requesting that all Test Center Administrators return any empty/unused lock boxes in their possession by December 13, 2019.  

Please consolidate remaining MNO materials into the fewest number of lock boxes needed and return any extra lock boxes. 

• For example: if you received four (4) lock boxes of test materials throughout the year, but materials can now be combined into two (2) boxes, consolidate those materials and immediately return your empty lock boxes to DRC.

RETAIN the key to the lock boxes; do not return it. These will continue to be used during the next administration. 

To obtain a UPS return label, please send an email to TASCtesthelpdesk@DataRecognitionCorp.com Make sure to include your name, email address, number of labels needed, and your testing site code.

UPS Return Label will be provided via email only. 

Print and tape the provided UPS return label(s) to each box. To arrange for a UPS pickup, call

1-866-857-1501. Retain the UPS tracking number for your files.  

For more information on the TASC Test and the TASC Readiness Assessment, please visit TASCTest.com.

If you have further questions, please contact the TASC Test Customer Support at

tasctesthelpdesk@datarecognitioncorp.com

The Data Recognition Corporation (DRC) - which is the corporation that the New York State Education Department (NYSED) contracts with to develop and score the Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC™) - has announced that the TASC™ subtest forms PQR, and Readiness Assessment 8/9, will be launched in January 2020.

This notice is to provide you with some preliminary information and important dates about the transition from TASC™ Test MNO to TASC™ Test PQR. DRC will be sending out additional information to Test Centers in the coming weeks but wanted to make you aware of the form changes now.

Important Transition Dates: 

• January 17, 2020: LAST day TASC™ Test MNO will be scheduled for administration.
• January 15-17, 2020: Paper-based versions of TASC™ Test PQR English delivered.
• January 21, 2020: TASC™ Test PQR and Readiness 8/9 English available.
• February 12-14, 2020: Paper-based versions of TASC™ Test PQR Spanish delivered.
• February 15-17 No TASC™ testing should be scheduled.
• February 18, 2020: TASC™ Test PQR and Readiness 8/9 Spanish available.

Please take note: Spanish testing will not be available between January 18-February 17, 2020. 

Test Coordinator Kits will be delivered to Test Centers between January 8-10, 2020. The kits will contain administrative materials to be used in conjunction with TASC™ Test PQR as well as copies of the Test Administration Manual. 

The DRC Online Registration and Scheduling System will automatically handle the correct assignment of test forms. TASC™ Test MNO can be scheduled for test dates up to and including January 17; TASC™ Test PQR will be scheduled for test dates beginning January 21st or February 18th, depending on whether testing in English or Spanish. 

After the delivery of TASC™ Test PQR, Test Centers will need to inventory the print-based testing materials received against the TASC™ Test Security Checklist that will be included in the shipment. Please use the same boxes to return your old TASC™ Test MNO materials to DRC for secure destruction by February 21, 2020. 

For more information on the TASC™ Test and the TASC™ 8/9 Readiness Assessment, please visit TASC wesbsite.

The Data Recognition Corporation (DRC) - which develops, distributes and scores the New York State High School Equivalency exam, which is the Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC™) - has introduced an accessibility update. This feature allows individuals with the JAWS* screen reader to use that functionality to self-register for the TASC™. The self-registration process entails setting up an account for a Universally Unique Identifier (UUID) which is needed for scheduling TASC™ subtests.  DRC is also continuing to work on enabling TASC™ forms to be viewed by screen readers and will provide updates over the next several months.

*JAWS, or Job Access with Speech, is a widely used screen reader developed for computer users whose vision loss prevents them from seeing the screen or navigating with a mouse. JAWS provides speech and Braille output for most popular computer applications on personal computers (PC).

The Cattaraugus-Allegany BOCES promotes student success on obtaining their High School Equivalency (HSE) diploma by engaging in the Regents-HSE Exam Pathway, where passing Regents exam scores can be combined with passing subtest scores from the Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC™) to fulfill diploma requirements.  For the full story, please visit the TASC website.

NYSED High School Equivalency (HSE) Cell Phone Policy for TASC™ Examinees

All examinees taking the Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC ™) are prohibited from having their cell phones or any other electronic devices with them when they are taking the TASC™. All cell phones and electronic devices must either be left at home or turned over to the Test Center Coordinators, Examiners, or Proctors upon entering the TASC™ testing room. Any examinee who is in possession of a cell phone, or any other prohibited electronic devices, and refuses to relinquish them shall be denied entrance to the testing room and will not be allowed to take the TASC™. The electronic devices referenced above include, but are not limited to:

• Cell phones
• iPods and MP3 players
• iPads, tablets, and other e-Readers
• Personal laptops, notebooks, or any other computing devices
• Cameras or other photographic equipment
• Wearable devices/smart wearables, including smart watches and health wearables with a display
• Headphones, headsets, or in-ear headphones such as earbuds
• Any other device capable of recording audio, photographic or video content, or capable of viewing or playing back such content

It is the Test Center’s responsibility to enforce this policy, which is delineated in the Test Administration Manual published by the Data Recognition Corporation (DRC), and agreed to in the legal Three-Way Agreement signed by the Test Center, NYSED and DRC. Therefore, it is essential that this policy be communicated to all examinees - by the Test Center - prior to testing. The written information provided to the examinee when the TASC™ is scheduled should specifically convey this requirement.

If a cell phone, or any of the devices noted above, are found to be in possession of an examinee in the testing room, any exams taken must be invalidated and no score(s) will be awarded by DRC. Further, these examinees will be prohibited from taking the TASC™ again for a minimum of six months. Thank you in advance for your full compliance with this policy. If you have any questions, please contact the HSE Office at HSE@nysed.gov

Those who have taken the TASC™ previously but did not pass all five subtests are not required to produce an official High School Equivalency transcript from the NYSED Office. Examinees are responsible for their choice in subtests. Admission to testing should not be blocked by a lack of official transcript.

Also, please note that examinees who wish to take one or more subtests of the Test Assessing Secondary Completion, or TASC™, are not required to submit their official high school transcript prior to testing. 

However, it is the responsibility of the examinees  - not the Test Center - to determine which TASC™ subtests are required; specifically if they seek to combine TASC™ subtest scores with prior Regents exam scores as a pathway to a High School Equivalency (HSE) diploma: http://www.acces.nysed.gov/hse/regents-hse-exam

Further, since examinees must wait 60 days prior to taking any additional TASC™ subtests, it is recommended that they take all five subtests if they are not aware of which are required.

If there are any questions, please contact hse@nysed.gov.