Software Glitch Delays Standardized Testing For Some TPS Students

Kids across the state are gearing up for the standardized tests that come near the end of each school year.

But a software glitch in a computerized testing program gave 6th, 7th and 8th graders at Tulsa Public Schools, scheduled to begin testing Wednesday, an extra day to prepare for exams.

Chris Payne, with Tulsa Public Schools, said, "It's not something that's usually a problem, it's not usually a worry. I think this is just kind of an unusual situation."

Payne said schools statewide have been dealing with technical issues for the past few weeks. He said the TPS IT team updated its testing software on the district's 20,000 computers last week.

"I think the assumption was made that 6th to 8th grade was included in that, and it was not part of that upgrade," Payne said.

The State Board of Education found a new software vendor in December. CTB/McGraw Hill had a short window to get the testing programs up and running. The state says the quick turnaround is why so many districts are running into glitches.

"It's a pretty trusted name, so it's pretty out of the ordinary to have an issue, anyway, so I think that's probably what caught us off guard," Payne said.

He said it was an easy fix and that the 8,000 students who thought they would be taking their tests Wednesday, will take them Thursday instead.

We were told that some social studies tests were given Wednesday, because those exams were done the old-fashioned way, with a pencil and paper.

The State Board of Education says, despite some glitches elsewhere, it hasn't heard of any other schools having to actually push back testing because of technical problems.

3/27/2013 Related Story: Delayed Test Booklets Put Strain On Oklahoma Educators, Students