NYSAA: Eligibility, Birthday Chart and the 2027 Testing Window

Estimated reading time: 15 minutes

NYSAA, the New York State Alternate Assessment, is the part of the New York State testing program that measures English language arts, mathematics and science for students with severe disabilities who cannot take the general tests even with accommodations. Since New York uses the Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) system, students take it online through the Kite platform, and the Committee on Special Education (CSE) decides each year who is eligible. This guide covers the eligibility criteria and NYSED’s decision-making tool, the IEP requirements, the birthday chart, the 2026-27 testing window, administration, results, the diploma question and the 1% cap. It describes state rules, not legal advice: check current NYSED guidance and district counsel when a decision is disputed.

Executive Summary

In 2024-25, 1.58% of New York’s assessed students took NYSAA in ELA, 1.56% in mathematics and 1.58% in science, above the federal cap of 1.0% per subject and up from 2023-24. New York has been out of compliance since its 2017-18 data, and on July 1, 2026, NYSED was again notified of a condition on its Title I award. In October 2025, it identified 452 districts above 1.0% in at least one subject.

The answer runs through the CSE: the state’s criteria applied to evidence every year, a signed decision-making tool, and families who know that their child will be measured on alternate standards and, under current rules, exit with a credential rather than a diploma.

What Is NYSAA?

NYSAA is New York’s alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards, measuring attainment of the state’s learning standards in ELA, mathematics and science at reduced depth, breadth and complexity for students with severe disabilities in grades 3-8 and high school.

According to NYSED, eligible students take the DLM alternate assessment, “a computer-delivered adaptive assessment.” New York is a Year-End model state in the DLM consortium: students work through short testlets on Essential Elements in the Kite Student Portal, and teachers manage rosters and results in Kite Educator Portal.

NYSED says “severe disability” where federal law says “most significant cognitive disability”; its August 2026 plan says it plans to propose amending Commissioner’s regulations section 100.1(t)(2) to use the federal term. For other states, see our alternate assessment guide.

NYSAA Eligibility Criteria

Under 8 NYCRR 100.1(t)(2)(iv), students with severe disabilities have limited cognitive abilities combined with behavioral and/or physical limitations and need highly specialized education, social, psychological and medical services. NYSED’s policy brief on eligibility requires both parts below:

NYSED’s eligibility FAQ describes a severe disability as pervasive, “affecting all areas of the student’s life from infancy through post-school,” and says it is not defined by an IQ range. Students with autism who qualify, it adds, will most likely have Level 3, “Requiring Very Substantial Support,” under the DSM-5-TR. The CSE decides at each annual review, and how the committee works is explained in our guide to the committee on special education.

The NYSAA Decision-Making Tool

NYSED’s decision-making tool walks the CSE through seven steps:

1. Current IEP: without one, the student is not eligible.
2. Disability classification: “stop here” for a learning disability or a speech or language impairment only; “pause here” for deafness, hearing impairment, emotional disability, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment or visual impairment; “go” for autism, deaf-blindness, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities or traumatic brain injury.
3. Severe disability: all three domains must be met.
4. Highly specialized program: all three domains must be met.
5. Excluded factors: if the recommendation rests solely on any listed factor, pause and gather more data.
6. Parental understanding: the parent is told about alternate standards and the credential.
7. Recommendation and signatures of the CSE members.

NYSED’s FAQ asks CSEs to review the tool at least annually, use quantitative and qualitative data, and keep the signed copy in the student’s cumulative file; it is not sent to NYSED.

What Cannot Decide Eligibility

The CSE may not base participation exclusively on disability category, educational environment, instructional setting, language differences, excessive or extended absences, cultural or environmental factors, previous low achievement or previous need for testing accommodations. The FAQ also answers three frequent cases:

• Placement: every student in a special class for students with severe disabilities still needs an individual decision.
• Behavior: a student who does not meet all criteria but struggles with difficult tasks takes the general tests with appropriate accommodations.
• Past participation: a student who no longer qualifies returns to the general testing program.

Documenting NYSAA in the IEP

• A statement of why: why the student cannot take the regular assessment and why NYSAA is appropriate, tied to the eligibility evidence (34 CFR 300.320(a)(6)(ii)).
• Short-term objectives or benchmarks for each annual goal; see the complete guide to IEP goals.
• Testing accommodations used consistently in instruction and on state assessments.
• Parent notification that achievement will be measured on alternate standards and what that means for the diploma; NYSED posts a sample parent letter.

Present levels that describe communication, adaptive skills and supports make the statement credible; see PLAAFP examples.

NYSAA Birthday Chart for 2026-27

NYSAA students are ungraded for testing: each is assessed at the NYSAA grade that matches their birthdate, whatever grade they are enrolled in. NYSED’s August 2026 memo sets the 2026-27 ranges:

Source: NYSED, Birthdate Ranges for the 2026-27 NYSAA. Students in the secondary range are entered in the grade 9 cohort in Educator Portal, whatever their actual grade. An eligible student who will leave school before turning 18 and does not fit the secondary range must take the secondary-level NYSAA before leaving, at age 17.

NYSAA Subjects and Format

ELA and mathematics are assessed every year at the NYSAA grades 3-8 and once at the secondary level; science at grades 5 and 8 and once at the secondary level. In the 2026-27 DLM Year-End manual:

• Testlets: short groups of items that share a context. Each Essential Element is tested at one linkage level, the level of complexity that best matches the student.
• Spring testlet counts: 9 in ELA at every grade; 7 or 8 in mathematics in grades 3-8 and 7 in the grade 9 cohort; 8 or 9 in science.
• Two delivery modes: teacher-administered testlets, typically at lower linkage levels and for all writing, where the teacher enters the student’s responses; and computer-delivered testlets, where the student selects answers, with assistive devices if needed.
• Time: about 10 to 15 minutes per testlet, spread across sessions.
• Before testing: the teacher completes the First Contact Survey, used to match the student to a linkage level, and the Personal Needs and Preferences Profile.

Source: DLM, Test Administration Manual 2026-2027, Year-End Model States. Essential Elements and released testlets are on New York’s DLM page; many students practice functional skills that support them, as in functional IEP goals.

NYSAA Testing Window for 2026-27

Sources: NYSED’s NYSAA page and DLM’s New York page. Schedule testing early in the window so absences and device problems do not push students past the deadline.

Who Administers NYSAA

NYSAA is a secure state test. Under the 2025-26 School Administrator’s Manual, the latest posted edition, it is given by qualified school personnel, which in public and charter schools should be certified teachers, and the principal decides who may administer it. Every test administrator must complete DLM’s Required Test Administrator Training; the DLM manual adds that teachers cannot reach the testing screens until they pass each module’s post-test with 80% or higher.

NYSAA Results and Score Reports

Results arrive in two forms, according to NYSED’s guide for helping parents understand the score report:

• DLM Individual Student Score Reports, available in September in Educator Portal, with a Performance Profile to share with parents and a Learning Profile for instructional planning.
• NYSED score reports, available to the school with CSE responsibility through the L2RPT system in late September and generally mailed home.

NYSED reports four performance levels, numbered 1 to 4; DLM’s four levels are Emerging, Approaching the Target, At Target and Advanced, and At Target means the student met New York’s alternate standard. Reports count “skills,” meaning linkage levels mastered, and are not percentage scores. NYSED lists the uses: identifying strengths and needs, informing IEP discussions, setting priorities for goals and short-term objectives, and identifying the student’s most effective method of communication.

NYSAA and the Diploma

NYSED’s eligibility FAQ is direct: a student assessed through NYSAA “will not earn a local or Regents diploma, but will instead earn the Skills and Achievement Commencement Credential (SACC).” The SACC, which replaced the IEP diploma in 2013-14:

• Is not a regular diploma under state standards or for federal accountability.
• Can be awarded after at least 12 years of school, excluding kindergarten, or at the end of the school year in which the student turns 21.
• Comes with a Student Exit Summary of the student’s academic achievement and functional performance.

That is why NYSED requires the CSE to inform parents when NYSAA is recommended; plan the conversation with transition IEP goals. Under the NY Inspires plan, with full implementation expected in 2029, NYSED anticipates that students previously misidentified as NYSAA-eligible “will be able to work toward earning a regular high school diploma.”

New York and the 1% Cap

Source: NYSED Updated 2026 Plan for Compliance with NYSAA 1.0 Percent Cap (August 2026). The plan sets three tiers of district support:

• Tier 1, above 1.0%: a justification form, NYSED’s webinar, an online quiz for administrators and CSE members, and written assurances. By January 16, 2026, all 452 districts had completed it, and 2,285 staff had taken the quiz.
• Tier 2, above 2% and below 2.5%: targeted skills groups; 45 districts in spring 2025.
• Tier 3, 2.5% or higher: a focused support plan with onsite engagement; 32 districts in 2025-26.

Since October 2025, NYSED notifies districts of their status in the fall, so training can happen before annual reviews.

English Language Learners Who Take NYSAA

New York joined the WIDA Consortium in 2025, and NYSED’s plan states that the state will begin offering WIDA Alternate ACCESS in spring 2027 for English language learners with the most significant cognitive disabilities. WIDA’s New York page lists a 2027 testing window of February 1 to April 9. See WIDA Alternate ACCESS and dually identified students.

Funding and Staffing

The real cost of NYSAA is staff time: First Contact Surveys, materials for teacher-administered testlets, individual sessions and training. Districts above 1.0% also carry the Tier 1 to Tier 3 requirements. NYSED’s Office of Special Education Educational Partnership delivers the Tier 2 and Tier 3 support, so plan for staff release time when your district is identified.

Common Mistakes District Leaders Make

1. Deciding by classroom. Placement in a special class is not a criterion.
2. Meeting one domain, not all. Severe disability and a highly specialized program each require all three domains.
3. Using NYSAA to avoid hard testing days. NYSED points those students to accommodations.
4. Testing by enrolled grade. The birthday chart decides the NYSAA grade.
5. Missing the 17-year-old rule for students leaving school before 18.
6. Skipping the credential conversation. Parents must know about the SACC when NYSAA is first recommended.
7. Waiting for the state letter. Districts can compute their own rate before October.

Questions District Leaders Should Ask

• What was our NYSAA rate in each subject last year, and which tier does it place us in?
• How many NYSAA students are classified with a disability in the “pause here” column?
• Did every CSE that recommended NYSAA use the tool and document all six domains?
• How many students left NYSAA after a review this year?
• Which English language learners will need WIDA Alternate ACCESS in spring 2027?

Frequently Asked Questions

What does NYSAA stand for?

NYSAA stands for New York State Alternate Assessment. It is the alternate version of the state tests in English language arts, mathematics and science for students with severe disabilities who cannot take the general tests even with accommodations, and it is delivered through Dynamic Learning Maps.

What is NYSAA?

NYSAA is New York’s alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards. Students take the Dynamic Learning Maps assessment online through the Kite Student Portal, in short adaptive testlets on Essential Elements. It assesses ELA and mathematics each year at NYSAA grades 3-8 and once at the secondary level, and science at grades 5 and 8 and once at the secondary level.

Who is eligible for NYSAA?

A student with an IEP whom the CSE finds has a severe disability, meaning significantly limited cognitive abilities and significant deficits in communication and adaptive behavior, and who requires a highly specialized program with assistive technology and support systems. A learning disability or a speech or language impairment alone does not qualify. The CSE decides every year using NYSED’s decision-making tool.

What is the NYSAA birthday chart?

It is NYSED’s yearly memo that assigns each NYSAA student a testing grade by birthdate, because these students are tested by age, not enrolled grade. For 2026-27, students born between September 1, 2017, and August 31, 2018, take grade 3, and students born between September 1, 2008, and August 31, 2009, take the secondary level.

When is the NYSAA testing window in 2027?

The 2026-27 NYSAA window runs from Monday, March 8, to Friday, June 11, 2027. Testing, or the appropriate special circumstance codes, must be completed by 5:00 p.m. on June 11. DLM also lists an optional instructionally embedded window for New York from October 19, 2026, to February 19, 2027, whose results do not count toward end-of-year score reports.

Can a student who takes NYSAA earn a diploma?

Under current NYSED guidance, no: a student assessed through NYSAA does not earn a local or Regents diploma and instead earns the Skills and Achievement Commencement Credential, which is not a regular diploma. NYSED’s graduation reforms, with full implementation expected in 2029, may open more pathways, so families should revisit the question in transition planning.

Related Resources

• Alternate Assessment: Who Qualifies and the 1% Cap
• Committee on Special Education
• WIDA Alternate ACCESS
• Transition IEP Goals
• IEP Goals: How to Write Measurable Goals
• Dually Identified Students

Conclusion

NYSAA asks the CSE to make one of the most consequential decisions in a student’s school career every year. Committees that use the decision-making tool honestly, test by the birthday chart, document short-term objectives and talk with families early about the credential protect both the students who need the alternate and those who do not, and they are New York’s way back under the 1% cap.

Sources: NYSED, New York State Alternate Assessment; NYSED, Eligibility Criteria for Participation in the NYSAA (policy brief, March 2025); NYSED, NYSAA Decision-Making Tool: Frequently Asked Questions; NYSED, NYSAA Decision-Making Tool; NYSED, Birthdate Ranges for the 2026-27 NYSAA (August 2026); NYSED, NYSAA School Administrator’s Manual, 2025-26 Edition; DLM, Test Administration Manual 2026-2027, Year-End Model States; NYSED, A Guide to Helping Parents Understand the NYSAA Score Report; NYSED, Skills and Achievement Commencement Credential for Students with Severe Disabilities; NYSED, Updated 2026 Plan for Compliance with NYSAA 1.0 Percent Cap (August 2026); WIDA, New York member page. Other sources are linked where they are cited.

Join the 2027 Special Education Pilot

NYSAA results point to the skills and the communication method a student needs to practice next, and those skills grow through many patient repetitions between CSE meetings, which adults can rarely give one student at a time. Telo AI is being adapted for students with IEPs: patient, 1-on-1 practice aligned to each student’s IEP goals, including daily living skills and speaking practice. We are inviting districts to shape it with us in a 2027 pilot.

Apply to pilot Telo AI in your Special Education program