After the NYC School Safety Agent Exam: List Number to Hiring

Facts are from official sources, linked inline. Checked against Notice of Examination No. 7324.

Finishing the School Safety Agent test is the start of a long process. Your score decides your place on the eligible list, and the list decides when you are called for the background check, the physical test and the medical steps. This guide walks through each step, from the end of the test to your first year on the job.

1. Your tentative score, on the spot

DCAS says that for all its civil service exams, "we will provide you with immediate, tentative results at the end of your test" (DCAS: How Do You Get Your Results?). For computer-based tests, you also get a printout with your answers and the Proposed Key Answers (DCAS protest procedures).

2. Protests and appeals

A Protest Review Session is held "on the first (1st) Friday after the week of your test date." You can review the test and the proposed answers, then file protests at the session or by mail during a 30-day protest period. A Test Validation Board reviews protests and can change answers or drop questions (DCAS protest procedures). Separately, the notice says you can appeal a score you think was rated incorrectly to the DCAS Committee on Manifest Errors through OASys.

3. The eligible list and your list number

"If you pass the multiple-choice test, your name will be placed on eligible list in final score order. You will receive a list number and be notified of your test results via email. This eligible list determines the order of candidates considered for appointment, usually active for four years" (the notice). DCAS says an eligible list "may be established within six to nine months from the date of the examination though times vary" (DCAS veterans guidance).

List number 1 had the highest final score. When an agency hires from a list, it chooses one of the three highest-ranked candidates who are qualified and willing to accept (Personnel Rules, Rule IV). That is why a higher score matters even though 70% passes. No official source says how far down a School Safety Agent list will be reached.

4. Credits that can raise your final score

• Veterans: 5 points, or 10 points for disabled veterans, on an exam for original appointment, under New York State Civil Service Law Section 85 (NY Civil Service Law 85). The credit is added only to a passing score, is used only once and must be claimed before the list is established (DCAS veterans guidance).
• Legacy credit: 10 points for the child or sibling of certain City workers who died in the line of duty or as a result of the September 11, 2001, attack and rescue effort, claimed as the Special Circumstances Guide explains.

The 7324 notice has no residency credit. That credit appears on the Police Officer notice, not this one.

5. Selective certification

If you have at least six months of satisfactory, full-time experience as an Assistant School Safety Agent at a New York public school, you may be given preferred consideration for positions that require that experience. The notice says you can meet this at any time while the list is active and then ask DCAS through nyc.gov/CivilServiceNowNYC using the "Selective Certification" subject.

6. The call letter

"When your turn comes up, the agency sends a call letter, which is your formal invitation to interview." If you do not respond, "your name may be taken off the list of candidates, even if you passed the exam" (DCAS: What Happens Next). Keep your email and mailing address current in OASys; the notice warns that out-of-date contact details can make you miss important updates.

7. Background check and investigation

The notice says the NYC Police Department runs a background check before appointment to confirm the Special Patrolman qualifications, including character. At the investigation you pay $82.75 for fingerprint screening and bring original or certified documents, such as proof of date and place of birth, naturalization papers if needed, proof of military service and proof of education. Anyone who fails the background check is not appointed. See the requirements guide for the Special Patrolman rules.

8. Physical, medical, psychological and drug tests

The notice requires a qualifying physical test, a drug screening and a medical and psychological assessment. It does not describe the physical test events or standards, and we found no official source that does. Be wary of exact physical test details that do not cite an official source.

9. Training and probation

The NYC Police Department's careers page describes paid training at the Police Academy for "up to 17 weeks" (NYPD: School Safety Agents). The notice sets a one-year probationary period. After two years of continuous employment, you may be allowed to live in one of six nearby counties instead of the City.

Retaking the exam

The FY2027 DCAS schedule lists more School Safety Agent exam numbers (7323, 7325 and 7326) (DCAS FY2027 schedule). We found no official rule on how a score on one School Safety Agent list affects a later list, so check the notice for each new exam number before you decide.

Common myths, checked against official sources

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

• DCAS Notice of Examination, School Safety Agent, Exam No. 7324 (PDF)
• DCAS: How Do You Get Your Results?
• DCAS: Computer-Based Multiple-Choice Test Protest Procedures (PDF)
• DCAS: You Passed! Now How Do You Get an Interview?
• Personnel Rules and Regulations of the City of New York, Rule IV
• DCAS: Civil Service Guidance for Veterans (PDF)
• NYC Police Department: School Safety Agents (careers page)

PrepRaven is an independent exam-prep site. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the City of New York, DCAS, the NYC Police Department, the NYC Department of Education or any City agency. Always confirm dates and rules in the current Notice of Examination.

Last updated October 2026