NYSTCE Safety Net Refund Policy
| To: | Deans and Directors of Institutions Offering Educator Preparation Programs; Certification Officers; edTPA Coordinators; Other Interested Parties. |
| From: | John L. D’Agati, Deputy Commissioner of Office of Higher Education |
| Date: | March 3, 2015 |
| Subject: | NYSTCE Safety Net Refund Policy |
(306KB) :In May 2015, the Board of Regents adopted an emergency regulation extending the edTPA Safety Net and creating new safety nets for the Academic Literacy Skills Test (ALST), the Educating All Students (EAS) test, and certain redeveloped Content Specialty Tests (CSTs). These safety nets will be effective through June 30, 2016.
The Department has worked with Pearson to make certain exceptions to the NYSTCE refund policy to accommodate New York State Teacher Certification Examination candidates who are eligible for one or more of the safety nets described above. The refund options are described below.
Pearson will process appropriate registration refunds and other changes for candidates who are eligible for a safety net option. Candidates seeking refunds and other changes in lieu of retaking the test should contact NYSTCE Customer Service for details (1-800-309-5225).
Neither Pearson nor the Department can issue a refund for a test a candidate has already taken.
As described more specifically below, a candidate who has registered to retake one of the below examinations, but who has not actually retaken the examination, may be eligible to receive a refund of the registration fee (for the ALST and EAS), or, in the case of a CST covered by the safety net, apply the amount paid toward the registration cost of the safety net CST.
Academic Literacy Skills Test
If a candidate who has taken and failed the ALST, and has registered to retake the test, but now qualifies for the safety net and he/she no longer needs to retake the test, he/she is eligible for a refund of his/her registration fee.
To obtain a refund, such candidates must:
- Log into his/her NYSTCE account.
- Cancel any rescheduled test date (at least 24 hours before his/her scheduled testing time), if applicable.
- 3. Withdraw his/her registration before scheduling a test date and before his/her Authorization to Test expires.
- 4. Contact NYSTCE, who will approve and process a full refund.
Educating All Students
If a candidate has taken and failed the EAS, and has registered to retake the test, and now receives an EAS Safety Net notification email indicating that he/she has passed the test under the new Safety Net score, the candidate is eligible for a refund of his/her registration fee.
To obtain a refund, these candidates must:
- Log into his/her NYSTCE account.
- Cancel any rescheduled test date (at least 24 hours before his/her scheduled testing time), if applicable.
- Withdraw his/her registration before scheduling a test date and before his/her Authorization to Test expires.
- Contact NYSTCE, who will approve and process a full refund.
Content Specialty Tests
If a candidate has taken and failed a CST covered by the Safety Net, and has registered to retake the test, he/she is eligible for a voucher to take the Safety Net CST.
To obtain a voucher, the candidate must:
- Log into his/her NYSTCE account.
- Cancel any rescheduled test date (at least 24 hours before his/her scheduled testing time), if applicable.
- Withdraw his/her registration before scheduling a test date and before his/her Authorization to Test expires.
- Contact NYSTCE, who will issue a voucher to take the Safety Net CST at no additional charge. (The fee paid to take the redeveloped CST cannot be refunded).
If you have any questions, please contact NYSTCE Customer Service at 1-800-309-5225.