School Testing Presents Challenges for Districts
Test revision has Union, Jenks school districts scrambling before statewide exams
By KIM ARCHER World Staff Writer on Apr 9, 2013
Oklahoma’s school testing company, CTB/McGraw-Hill, made a revision over the weekend that has area school districts rushing to reload testing content to school computers before state tests begin Wednesday.
“It’s frustrating when a company like this doesn’t give us any forewarning whatsoever. And the fact that we had to find out for ourselves is equally frustrating,” said Union Deputy Superintendent Kirt Hartzler.
Last year, the Oklahoma State Department of Education rebid its testing contract for grades three to eight, citing a processing error in the previous contract.
In December, the state Board of Education voted to award CTB/McGraw-Hill a one-year, $8.9 million testing contract for grades three to eight, with four additional annual renewals, for a total of $28 million.