Barresi Defends Testing Settlement
Janet Barresi defends settlement with testing vendor, but educators find flaws
BY KIM ARCHER World Staff Writer
Saturday, July 27, 2013
State Superintendent Janet Barresi said she is happy with the settlement the state negotiated with testing vendor CTB/McGraw-Hill over the widespread disruptions of online testing in April.
Valued at more than $1.2 million, the deal contains roughly $860,000 worth of donated services, leaving a cash settlement of $376,205 for school districts’ financial losses associated with the testing problems.
But educators say the cash settlement is weak and doesn’t truly hold McGraw-Hill accountable because it doesn’t cost the company the named value of the “in-kind” services it is to provide.
“When you consider that we have over 500 school districts in the state, that equals about $700 if divided evenly,” said Janet Dunlop, assistant superintendent at Broken Arrow Public Schools. “What effect will that truly have on our overtime costs, not to mention time lost to instruction due to testing delays?”