Assigning Reason Not Tested Codes
For all students who didn't test, School test coordinators and DACs can apply State Use Only/Reason Not Tested codes in SDMS through April 30, 2027. DACs then have until May 7, 2027, to finalize the entry of this data. State Use Only/Reason Not Tested codes are assigned at the individual student level or, new for spring 2027, via a bulk upload feature for multiple students at once.
To find students who require the codes, use the filters in the Student Roster. Click the + sign next to the student's name to open their record.
Scroll to the middle of the student record, below the list of available assessments. You'll see a field for State Use Only/Reason Not Tested. In the dropdown menu, select the appropriate code(s) for that student.
The selected codes will appear in the State Use Only/Reason Not Tested field. When the correct codes display, click the blue Save button to assign these codes to the student's record.
If you need to edit or delete a State Use Only/Reason Not Tested code, follow the previous steps to bring up the student's record and add new codes or delete existing codes as needed before clicking Save.
Use the table below to help identify the correct codes required for entry.
| Not Tested Reason | Condition | Action |
|---|---|---|
| No Invalidation/ Student Tested | If the student was present on test day and participated in the test. | N/A |
| Took Other Assessment | If the student took the alternate assessment (CoAlt: DLM ELA/Math) instead of the SAT. | Use Code 1 |
| Newcomer to the U.S. Taking EL Math Only | If the student should be identified with Newcomer to the U.S. status because the student enrolled for the first time on or after April 6, 2027, and is Non-English Proficient, based on WIDA Screener and a local body of evidence. | Use Code 2 |
| Withdrew Before Completion | If the student withdraws and no longer attends your school. Use only if the student moved before the start of the testing window. This code should not be applied until the end of the testing window (April 23, 2027). | Use Code 3 |
| Student Test Refusal | f the student refused to begin testing when provided with an opportunity to test. | Use Code 4 |
| Medical Exemption | If the student is unable to participate in the test due to a documented, significant, and fully incapacitating medical condition or emergency. In order to qualify for medical exemption, the incident or condition must be so severe that it prevents the student from participating in instruction offered either at school or at a state- or district-run facility. Note: This code should not be used for students who are absent during testing due to typical illnesses. | Use Code 7 |
| Part-Time Public/Part-Time Homeschooled Student | If the student should be identified with part-time district and part-time homeschooled status, regardless of whether the student participated or not. | Use Code 8 |
| Parental Excuse | If you receive a parent excusal letter consistent with state law and district policy before the student starts testing. Note: A score is produced for all students who meet the test attemptedness criterion unless a misadministration is indicated. Parent excusal coding is not considered valid for students who tested and met attemptedness. | Use Code 9 |
| Absent | If the student was absent for all of testing and one of the other Not Tested Reasons codes does not apply. This code and reason should not be entered until the end of the testing window (April 23, 2027). | Use Code 10 |