Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for March 10, 2006 ISAT...AND WAITED

Ready, set...wait! That's the word for students geared up to take the ISAT test.

The company hired by the State of Illinois to administer the test "FAILED TO MEET" the deadline for providing the testing materials. AND...as if THAT weren't bad enough...State Superintendent Randy Dunn announced that "not only did Harcourt's materials fail to arrive on time to most districts, but many test booklets and answer sheets that were delivered were rife with misprints, pages out of order and missing or duplicated sections in reading, math or science."

Guess the question of the day is...Does the "false start" HELP by giving students and teachers a little more time to prep...OR...Does the "false start" HURT as students lose the "keen edge" that had been finely honed by dedicated educational professionals? Sounds like the basis of a lawsuit by "failing schools" to me!

From the Chicago Sun-Times...

ISAT: Kids ready, but tests aren't

BY MAUDLYNE IHEJIRIKA Staff Reporter

Hundreds of thousands of Illinois students who have prepped for weeks for state tests scheduled for Monday will have to wait because the tests aren't ready.

Harcourt Assessment, the contractor hired by the Illinois State Board of Education, couldn't meet timelines specified in its $45 million contract.

The state's 870 school districts usually give the Illinois Standards Achievement Test between March 13 and March 31. They were to receive testing materials two weeks before testing, but hundreds of schools, including some Chicago Public Schools, were waiting for shipments Wednesday, state board officials said Thursday.

"We're looking at ways to help schools through this crisis," State School Supt. Randy Dunn said Thursday.

The tests are taken by 960,000 third- through eighth-graders.

Misprints, duplication

In Chicago, officials said 30 percent of schools didn't have test materials yet, so testing at many elementary schools will be postponed until March 20. Principals who received materials this week have the option to test Monday, said Xavier Botana, CPS director of assessment and accountability.

In a letter to Dunn on Thursday, Harcourt president and CEO Pat Tierney confessed to the widespread problems. "Most districts whose testing starts next week and the week of March 20 are just receiving test materials this week," Tierney wrote.

Dunn said that not only did Harcourt's materials fail to arrive on time to most districts, but many test booklets and answer sheets that were delivered were rife with misprints, pages out of order and missing or duplicated sections in reading, math or science.

"Some of these issues have just been stunning. There is no explanation, no rhyme or reason to it," Dunn said.

In September 2004, Harcourt, based in San Antonio, Texas, sealed the lucrative contract after hiring John Wyma, a lobbyist with ties to Gov. Blagojevich. At the time, the state education board's former contractor, Pearson Educational Measurement, had demanded the bid be reopened when significant changes to testing requirements were made.

Contract could be cancelled

Blagojevich seemed disgusted with Harcourt's performance when he was questioned about it Thursday.

"We're going to call other states and let them know about that," he said.

Harcourt's ISAT contract is spread over five years and worth $16.6 million this fiscal year alone.

State board officials said Illinois would also pursue legal action.

"I anticipate coming to the board with a recommendation for cancellation of this contract," Dunn said.

Harcourt will be allowed to complete the current testing cycle, but with strict oversight, he said.

Depending on when districts receive materials, testing could begin a week or more later than planned.

"This is obviously a huge bump in the road. Everybody gears up for testing, and you want it to go off smoothly because these are high stakes," Botana said.

The delay also could enable those who take the test earlier to share information with others.

According to Tierney, Harcourt has been plagued by delays in test development, sent materials to press late, had problems with new technology for processing shipping orders and made a bad decision to ship incomplete orders.

Contributing: Chris Fusco