New York City lawmakers are introducing legislation that would swap the statewide computer‑based exams for traditional paper tests for students in grades three through eight. The proposal targets the state mandate that obliges all third‑through‑eighth graders to take screen‑based assessments, a requirement that took effect in spring 2026 after being phased in beginning in 2024.
The bill would reverse the shift toward digital testing that New York began implementing in 2024, when certain grades first moved to computer exams. Under the current rule, every student in the specified grade range must complete the standardized tests on a screen.
State education officials are involved in discussions about the potential change, which aims to restore paper testing as the standard format for these assessments.