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Emergency medical assessment waiver applications due May 20

4/11/2022

Federal and state laws require Ohio’s annual state testing, and Ohio expects all students to take part in state tests. However, there may be rare circumstances in which students cannot take one or more assessments during the testing window dates because of medical emergencies.

In these cases of medical emergencies, districts and community schools must apply for an emergency medical waiver. Superintendents, superintendent designees, principals, test coordinators and EMIS coordinators can enter information into the application form through the online system between May 9-20. These administrators will have access within their OH|ID accounts to a form and should follow the prompts provided.

The Department uses results from state tests for the accountability system and Ohio School Report Cards. The emergency medical waiver, when approved, removes the untested students’ results when calculating the Performance Index and achievement scores as part of the Gap Closing Component. An approved emergency medical waiver does not exempt a student from having to complete one of the required pathways to graduate.

As part of the waiver application, an administrator must answer questions about the medical emergency and may upload supporting documentation. School leaders should use the emergency medical waiver application for situations that arise during the testing windows, including the make-up test windows, such as unexpected or worsening illness or physical injury immediately before or during the testing window.

Although superintendents, superintendent designees, principals, test coordinators and EMIS coordinators can enter the information into the application form, the official submission to the Department requires the superintendent or superintendent designee to approve and submit the completed form. The Department will only review forms the superintendent or designee approves and submits.

More information on the Department’s process for emergency medical waivers is available on the Report Card Resources webpage.

Direct all questions about emergency medical waivers to Jackie Seward at (614) 387-7570.