Second Semester 2020/21 School Year

Amanda Hughes37 said:There's no need—at least not from me right now—to lecture everyone on how life is unpredictable and that the SAT is just one day in a long existence.
The reality is simple... the SAT and university admissions are structured such that if you don't enroll during your freshman year, you could lose the chance to attend your preferred school.
Every stakeholder involved needs to do everything within their power to accommodate anyone who wants to take the exam during this window—regardless of location—and actually solve the problem.
There are always a limited number of such students; even if many are ill, not everyone is desperate to hit a specific deadline. But for those who refuse to miss out, we should make it possible for them to participate.

I’m seeing a lot of skepticism regarding taking the SAT outside of the main testing centers.

Taking exams at home. During home-based SAT administration, the proctors arriving at the
test-taker's residence wear surgical masks and hand sanitizer, maintaining a 2-meter distance from other
household members and the student. If the student is immunocompromised, the proctors conducting the
SAT at the home will also wear disposable gloves in addition to masks. The student himself
follows the recommendations of the specialist physician managing his primary condition. Taking the SAT
in a hospital setting follows the specific protocols of that facility.

Looking at the link you shared, those measures were actually put in place back in 2020 because of COVID-19. It's a different ballgame now. Which brings me right back to my original point: what about all the students who have been dealing with chronic illnesses throughout the years leading up to the pandemic? Why aren't they being given the option to take the test from home either?

nimbleranger17 said:And let's be honest, I don't expect urbantinker8 to come trekking out to some sick student's house; that's hardly in her job description, given she isn't exactly known for her deep concern for the youth or their bright futures...

Well, obviously they won't, because asking that would be, I don't know, just monstrous.
honestly, I feel like everyone here has sort of lost their way with these twisted expectations.

I mean, does anyone actually go into a client's or a student's private space when they're ill for business purposes?
unless you're a doctor or a priest, I suppose?🐔

hiddendriver34 said:Looking at the link you shared, those measures were actually put in place back in 2020 because of COVID-19. It's a different ballgame now. Which brings me right back to my original point: what about all the students who have been dealing with chronic illnesses throughout the years leading up to the pandemic? Why aren't they being given the option to take the test from home either?

It's for the exact same reason they weren't granted access to remote learning classes.

We have made progress, we have modernized 🤷

urbantinker8 said:Well, obviously they won't, because asking that would be, I don't know, just monstrous.
honestly, I feel like everyone here has sort of lost their way with these twisted expectations.

I mean, does anyone actually go into a client's or a student's private space when they're ill for business purposes?
unless you're a doctor or a priest, I suppose?🐔

Of course it isn't. I personally know a mountain of professors and even more teachers who go out of their way to accommodate their sick students. Thankfully, most educators aren't quite like urbantinker8.

mellowskipper said:Look, let’s just be honest—Meta shouldn't be trying to act like they're launching rockets to Mars. It would be much more decent if they just admitted they don't actually care and have zero intention of doing it. That might be a bit more transparent, I guess.

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Well, actually, that is exactly what they are saying—loudly and clearly.

If there is any dissent at all, I honestly can't recall a single record where anyone admitted, "Yeah, I agree with you, but someone at the Department or the National Center for Educational Assessment decided it had to be done differently." No—it just doesn't happen. It seems the only way they know how to maintain the SAT is by blindly mimicking the pre-COVID-19 protocols. Refusing to take the SAT is essentially the same as deciding not to visit your barber or your local stylist—you just suffer the consequences, while everyone else maintains this constant, albeit unspoken, attitude of, "Do you have any idea how much this is costing me?"

Amanda Hughes37 said:There's no need—at least not from me right now—to lecture everyone on how life is unpredictable and that the SAT is just one day in a long existence.
The reality is simple... the SAT and university admissions are structured such that if you don't enroll during your freshman year, you could lose the chance to attend your preferred school.
Every stakeholder involved needs to do everything within their power to accommodate anyone who wants to take the exam during this window—regardless of location—and actually solve the problem.
There are always a limited number of such students; even if many are ill, not everyone is desperate to hit a specific deadline. But for those who refuse to miss out, we should make it possible for them to participate.

I’m seeing a lot of skepticism regarding taking the SAT outside of the main testing centers.

Taking exams at home. During home-based SAT administration, the proctors arriving at the
test-taker's residence wear surgical masks and hand sanitizer, maintaining a 2-meter distance from other
household members and the student. If the student is immunocompromised, the proctors conducting the
SAT at the home will also wear disposable gloves in addition to masks. The student himself
follows the recommendations of the specialist physician managing his primary condition. Taking the SAT
in a hospital setting follows the specific protocols of that facility.

"...Accessing the SAT during the current epidemiological situation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, only applicants who show no signs of acute respiratory illness may take the SAT. Symptoms can include: fever, coughing, difficulty breathing, loss of taste or smell, etc. Additionally, anyone under a self-isolation order or those confirmed to have COVID-19 are barred from testing. Students denied access for either of these reasons must be allowed to test during a makeup period according to instructions from the Department of Education.
..."

Please go bark at someone else's tree.

nimbleranger17 said:It's for the exact same reason they weren't granted access to remote learning classes.

We have made progress, we have modernized 🤷

Of course it isn't. I personally know a mountain of professors and even more teachers who go out of their way to accommodate their sick students. Thankfully, most educators aren't quite like urbantinker8.

Look, here's the thing—that just isn't true at all. Remote learning was strictly reserved for students who were stuck in actual quarantine or isolation. For any other sick student, online classes weren't even an option.

I honestly don't think you're grasping the core of what I'm saying here... you asked earlier why online schooling wasn't an option for kids during previous illnesses, and I already laid out my reasoning for that. It’s quite simple, really: it’s only now that they've finally bothered to modernize things even a little bit, though frankly, it shouldn't require some grand technological overhaul or specialized training to make it work in the first place.

nimbleranger17 said:I honestly don't think you're grasping the core of what I'm saying here... you asked earlier why online schooling wasn't an option for kids during previous illnesses, and I already laid out my reasoning for that. It’s quite simple, really: it’s only now that they've finally bothered to modernize things even a little bit, though frankly, it shouldn't require some grand technological overhaul or specialized training to make it work in the first place.

Seriously, who among us doesn't know how to read? That’s not even what I was asking.

Honestly, it feels like you can’t even process the very words coming out of your own mouth.

evo tvoj post:

hiddendriver34 said:Looking at the link you shared, those measures were actually put in place back in 2020 because of COVID-19. It's a different ballgame now. Which brings me right back to my original point: what about all the students who have been dealing with chronic illnesses throughout the years leading up to the pandemic? Why aren't they being given the option to take the test from home either?

That’s exactly what I was getting at. It makes you wonder where everyone went—all those folks who were still reeling from the effects of COVID-19 and were stuck without any way to even sit for their SATs from the comfort of their own homes. You see them disappear from the conversation entirely, and it really makes you think about how many people just fell through the cracks because the system wasn't built to accommodate anyone dealing with health issues during such a chaotic time.

nimbleranger17 said:It's for the exact same reason they weren't granted access to remote learning classes.

We have made progress, we have modernized 🤷

Of course it isn't. I personally know a mountain of professors and even more teachers who go out of their way to accommodate their sick students. Thankfully, most educators aren't quite like urbantinker8.

Fortunately, urbantinker8 actually goes above and beyond for all their students—both healthy and those facing health challenges—and they certainly appreciate it.
However, dropping by a sick student's house isn't really one of the ways urbantinker8 chooses to show that support.
I suppose urbantinker8 feels that doing something like that encroaches too much on privacy, potentially compromising the very person trying to be helpful just so the other party can claim their "rights."
And if I might circle back to the whole COVID-19 situation, because the broken leg argument here feels a bit misplaced: would you and your crowd honestly find it acceptable if professors were required to visit students in Chicago just so someone wouldn't face discrimination when applying to college?🍿

nimbleranger17 said:Honestly, it feels like you can’t even process the very words coming out of your own mouth.

evo tvoj post:

That’s exactly what I was getting at. It makes you wonder where everyone went—all those folks who were still reeling from the effects of COVID-19 and were stuck without any way to even sit for their SATs from the comfort of their own homes. You see them disappear from the conversation entirely, and it really makes you think about how many people just fell through the cracks because the system wasn't built to accommodate anyone dealing with health issues during such a chaotic time.

😕

Yeah, that’s exactly what I asked. Not whatever version of it you just invented.

copperpuma11 said:"...Accessing the SAT during the current epidemiological situation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, only applicants who show no signs of acute respiratory illness may take the SAT. Symptoms can include: fever, coughing, difficulty breathing, loss of taste or smell, etc. Additionally, anyone under a self-isolation order or those confirmed to have COVID-19 are barred from testing. Students denied access for either of these reasons must be allowed to test during a makeup period according to instructions from the Department of Education.
..."

Please go bark at someone else's tree.

In quite a few instances, you’ve proven yourself to be part of that quiet majority of educators who—unlike the loud minority—actually love their profession and the kids they teach.

That is precisely why your statement is such a massive fail.

The reason for all this "barking" 🙄 isn't because anyone actually believes teachers are the ones who can or should change the system. The reason for the "barking"—to use your own colorful phrasing—is that so many teachers here feel the rules set by the Department are perfectly fine and truly the only way forward, and they're using comparisons between the SAT and getting a haircut to dismissively shrug off the idea that someone might (quite unnecessarily) get easier access to their preferred college major.

What on earth are you even talking about? Honestly, I sometimes wonder if anyone actually follows the threads here or if we're all just shouting into a void, waiting for an echo that never comes. It feels like I spend half my time typing out these long-winded observations—just trying to make sense of the chaos—only to be met with questions that leave me staring at my screen in total bewilderment. It’s exhausting, really. One minute I’m deep in a thought, perhaps a bit too detailed for some, and the next, I’m being asked what I’m even doing. It’s enough to make a person want to close the laptop and go for a very long walk in Central Park just to clear the head.

Are you actually trying to mess with my head on purpose, or is there some kind of twisted psychological game going on here that I’m just too exhausted to grasp?

Look, I am telling you, I LITERALLY copied exactly what you wrote, word for word.

nimbleranger17 said:I honestly don't think you're grasping the core of what I'm saying here... you asked earlier why online schooling wasn't an option for kids during previous illnesses, and I already laid out my reasoning for that. It’s quite simple, really: it’s only now that they've finally bothered to modernize things even a little bit, though frankly, it shouldn't require some grand technological overhaul or specialized training to make it work in the first place.

hiddendriver34 As if I haven't heard this all before...
Honestly, looking at the state of things, I have to wonder which one of us is actually struggling to read between the lines here? I didn't even actually ask.

hiddendriver34 said:Looking at the link you shared, those measures were actually put in place back in 2020 because of COVID-19. It's a different ballgame now. Which brings me right back to my original point: what about all the students who have been dealing with chronic illnesses throughout the years leading up to the pandemic? Why aren't they being given the option to take the test from home either?

Are you actually messing with me on purpose, or is it just some kid playing games?

hiddendriver34 said:Looking at the link you shared, those measures were actually put in place back in 2020 because of COVID-19. It's a different ballgame now. Which brings me right back to my original point: what about all the students who have been dealing with chronic illnesses throughout the years leading up to the pandemic? Why aren't they being given the option to take the test from home either?

So, you're saying they weren't even doing site visits—homes, hospitals, actual locations—until last year...?
Why would anyone suggest that COVID-19 is the reason a child ends up in the hospital or being treated at home—when it’s blindingly obvious they aren't there because of the virus, but because of a primary underlying condition...
So, just when COVID-19 hits... suddenly there's a sudden urge to go door-to-door visiting kids at home? Really...

There are so many accommodations made for specific cases during the SAT that a kid just wanting to go home is the least of anyone's concerns—really... Entire manuals exist just to figure out how to tweak materials, timing, and testing locations based on whatever individual struggle a student is facing.

The Department of Education is making some moves regarding the upcoming SATs—specifically looking at how they handle psychological testing and student assessment methodologies. It’s a complex web of data and standardized metrics that supposedly measures "readiness," though we all know how much nuance gets lost in those spreadsheets. There’s a lot of talk about how the National Center for Educational Assessment will oversee the process to ensure everything stays uniform across the country. They're digging deep into the psychometrics behind the tests—trying to make sure the results aren't just statistical noise. It’s an expensive, bureaucratic dance... always more layers of oversight for the sake of "accuracy." The goal, according to the Department, is to refine these tools so they actually reflect what students know. But in practice, it often feels like more paperwork and more high-stakes pressure for everyone involved. We'll see if these adjustments actually change anything or if it's just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic...

Over nine years of following the guidelines set by the National Center for Educational Assessment, more than 3,000 students have utilized adaptive testing technology for their SAT...

The summer session for this year's SAT kicked off a few days ago—over 35,000 students signed up... A significant number of those applicants are students with disabilities, who have benefited from much more accessible testing protocols since the National Center for Educational Assessment (NCVVO) rolled out specific guidelines back in 2008. Under these regulations, students with disabilities take their exams using adapted testing technology, all following the NCVVO standards approved by the Department...

The model is designed so that any adjustments won't have any negative impact on a student's college applications—or their rights... none at all. Neither the transcripts nor the official exam records show any indication that the student received accommodations. Sanja Horvatić, an advisor in the Office of the Secretary at the Department of Education, points out that throughout the nine years since the SAT was implemented, the rights of students with disabilities have never been diminished...

Accommodations cover both the exam materials and the actual testing process—it’s about leveling the playing field. This could mean anything from switching to Braille or using large-print A3 sheets with high-contrast ink and tactile diagrams for math, to specific print adjustments for students with dyslexia. It also includes letting students with dysgraphia or motor impairments type their essays on a computer, providing printed instructions read aloud by a proctor for those with hearing impairments, assigning a dedicated aide for specialized support, or simply granting extra time... it's all part of it. To accommodate students facing health challenges—and because we need to ensure they actually have a shot at passing—arrangements have been made to allow exams to be taken at home or in a hospital. This applies to any student where testing won't jeopardize their recovery or ongoing treatment... provided they submit a doctor's note to verify the situation..

Take a look at the dates and the specific timeframes mentioned in the text—you might also want to dig into the official SAT regulations regarding what accommodations can actually be provided for students...

How on earth is it possible that you're only hearing about this for the first time today?

Just to throw my two cents in—personally, I wouldn't blink if I had to pull an extra shift proctoring another SAT after someone finished their quarantine. It’s really not a big deal to me.

But we have to look at the math here. Running these makeup exams costs a fortune—we're talking millions when you factor in everything from drafting new test versions to shipping them out and paying security firms. Where is that money supposed to come from? And honestly, 🐔—why isn't that cash being funneled toward helping all the other patients in need? How is that even fair?

hiddendriver34 said:Just to throw my two cents in—personally, I wouldn't blink if I had to pull an extra shift proctoring another SAT after someone finished their quarantine. It’s really not a big deal to me.

But we have to look at the math here. Running these makeup exams costs a fortune—we're talking millions when you factor in everything from drafting new test versions to shipping them out and paying security firms. Where is that money supposed to come from? And honestly, 🐔—why isn't that cash being funneled toward helping all the other patients in need? How is that even fair?

I assume you actually read what I wrote in the meantime, but I'm honestly stunned that an educator wouldn't realize there's a massive amount of accommodations available for students—including home visits and hospital testing...

Nicholas King said:In quite a few instances, you’ve proven yourself to be part of that quiet majority of educators who—unlike the loud minority—actually love their profession and the kids they teach.

That is precisely why your statement is such a massive fail.

The reason for all this "barking" 🙄 isn't because anyone actually believes teachers are the ones who can or should change the system. The reason for the "barking"—to use your own colorful phrasing—is that so many teachers here feel the rules set by the Department are perfectly fine and truly the only way forward, and they're using comparisons between the SAT and getting a haircut to dismissively shrug off the idea that someone might (quite unnecessarily) get easier access to their preferred college major.

Revisiting the whole "barking up the wrong tree" thing.

In the previous thread, we slid easily from talking about general students to students with accommodations, and that's where the incompetence was exposed.

Amanda Hughes37 said:So, you're saying they weren't even doing site visits—homes, hospitals, actual locations—until last year...?
Why would anyone suggest that COVID-19 is the reason a child ends up in the hospital or being treated at home—when it’s blindingly obvious they aren't there because of the virus, but because of a primary underlying condition...
So, just when COVID-19 hits... suddenly there's a sudden urge to go door-to-door visiting kids at home? Really...

There are so many accommodations made for specific cases during the SAT that a kid just wanting to go home is the least of anyone's concerns—really... Entire manuals exist just to figure out how to tweak materials, timing, and testing locations based on whatever individual struggle a student is facing.

The Department of Education is making some moves regarding the upcoming SATs—specifically looking at how they handle psychological testing and student assessment methodologies. It’s a complex web of data and standardized metrics that supposedly measures "readiness," though we all know how much nuance gets lost in those spreadsheets. There’s a lot of talk about how the National Center for Educational Assessment will oversee the process to ensure everything stays uniform across the country. They're digging deep into the psychometrics behind the tests—trying to make sure the results aren't just statistical noise. It’s an expensive, bureaucratic dance... always more layers of oversight for the sake of "accuracy." The goal, according to the Department, is to refine these tools so they actually reflect what students know. But in practice, it often feels like more paperwork and more high-stakes pressure for everyone involved. We'll see if these adjustments actually change anything or if it's just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic...

Over nine years of following the guidelines set by the National Center for Educational Assessment, more than 3,000 students have utilized adaptive testing technology for their SAT...

The summer session for this year's SAT kicked off a few days ago—over 35,000 students signed up... A significant number of those applicants are students with disabilities, who have benefited from much more accessible testing protocols since the National Center for Educational Assessment (NCVVO) rolled out specific guidelines back in 2008. Under these regulations, students with disabilities take their exams using adapted testing technology, all following the NCVVO standards approved by the Department...

The model is designed so that any adjustments won't have any negative impact on a student's college applications—or their rights... none at all. Neither the transcripts nor the official exam records show any indication that the student received accommodations. Sanja Horvatić, an advisor in the Office of the Secretary at the Department of Education, points out that throughout the nine years since the SAT was implemented, the rights of students with disabilities have never been diminished...

Accommodations cover both the exam materials and the actual testing process—it’s about leveling the playing field. This could mean anything from switching to Braille or using large-print A3 sheets with high-contrast ink and tactile diagrams for math, to specific print adjustments for students with dyslexia. It also includes letting students with dysgraphia or motor impairments type their essays on a computer, providing printed instructions read aloud by a proctor for those with hearing impairments, assigning a dedicated aide for specialized support, or simply granting extra time... it's all part of it. To accommodate students facing health challenges—and because we need to ensure they actually have a shot at passing—arrangements have been made to allow exams to be taken at home or in a hospital. This applies to any student where testing won't jeopardize their recovery or ongoing treatment... provided they submit a doctor's note to verify the situation..

Take a look at the dates and the specific timeframes mentioned in the text—you might also want to dig into the official SAT regulations regarding what accommodations can actually be provided for students...

How on earth is it possible that you're only hearing about this for the first time today?

Look, I’m not the testing coordinator, so I don't have to memorize every single line of the SAT handbook. My job is pretty straightforward: follow the directions handed down by the coordinator. And honestly? That specific instruction you're highlighting in red? It’s one I haven't seen once in all my years doing this. In fact, nobody else at my school has ever heard of it either.

hiddendriver34 said:Just to throw my two cents in—personally, I wouldn't blink if I had to pull an extra shift proctoring another SAT after someone finished their quarantine. It’s really not a big deal to me.

But we have to look at the math here. Running these makeup exams costs a fortune—we're talking millions when you factor in everything from drafting new test versions to shipping them out and paying security firms. Where is that money supposed to come from? And honestly, 🐔—why isn't that cash being funneled toward helping all the other patients in need? How is that even fair?

What does security have to do with anything, and why on earth would you even bring that up? And what "millions" are we actually talking about here?

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mellowskipper said:What does security have to do with anything, and why on earth would you even bring that up? And what "millions" are we actually talking about here?

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I suppose I can't help but wonder why some people feel this sudden, pressing need to be so loud and persistent—often quite unpleasant, really—with people they don't actually know anything about.
Unfortunately, you aren't the only one.
And when you consider the type of security firms involved here...
If you were a more pleasant and constructive person to talk to, maybe I’d bother explaining things to you, but just now, I don't really feel up to it.🐔