Electronic Common Core Testing Hits Snag As Some Long Island Students Get Wrong Exam
FRANKLIN SQUARE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Electronic common core testing was rolled out this week. It was supposed to bring the assessment into the computer age.
But as CBS2's Carolyn Gusoff reported, a mix up has some educators giving New York State Failing grades on its new computerized version of the exam.
Students in the Franklin Square schools were eager to be among the first to take an English Language Arts -- ELA assessment -- on iPads. But the rollout didn't go as planned.
An emergency call at the Washington Street Elementary School on Monday revealed that some third graders got the fourth grade exam.
"We did everything on our part as a school district to ensure we had covered everything on our end, but unfortunately that didn't happen with the state, and the vendor they chose," assistant superintendent Maura Gallagher said.
Seven students struggled with the tougher ELA for nearly two hours.
They are among 64 third graders statewide who got the wrong electronic exam. It was a mix-up the state department of education called a technical error.
"Overall, the implementation of computer based testing is going well. Schools were immediately notified, so the affected students could stop taking the tests," a spokesman said.
The mix-up came as parents have been opting out in record numbers.
"He may break down. My child is the type that he would break down if it's something he can't do," Tiffany Beckett said.
Even parents who permit their children to take common core assessments, said the mix-up is a black eye.
"It's mind boggling number one. How can you administer a fourth grade exam to third graders? is no one monitoring the test? We are literally torturing our children. We are giving them induced stress," Carmen Pineyro said.
"I that's just endemic to this whole testing system. There is no standards, no guidance anywhere as to how they should be administered, how parents are supposed to opt their children out," Howard Colton, Freeport Independent Parents Association said.
Questar -- which administers the exam -- does require schools to meet rigorous computer standards for the new electronic test. It has not offered an explanation as to what went wrong.
The children who got the wrong test will not have to re-take it. Angry school administrators asked; if the test doesn't matter for them, why does it matter for anyone?
Only 64 of the 4,000 plus students who took the electronic exam got the wrong test. On Long Island they were also in the Mt. Sinai and Remsenburg - Speonk school districts.
