Another repeat of I-STEP online testing failures? We hope not.
04/24/2014

 

The online portion of I-STEP starts Monday, but some school districts are already experiencing technical problems with the practice test.

 

Some school districts administering the practice I-STEP test this week have already reported technical issues. CTB McGraw-Hill, the administrator of I-STEP, is blaming practice test issues on extra security measures put in place due to the Heartbleed computer virus.

 

CTB McGraw Hill’s high stakes test it administers in Oklahoma had to be suspended this week after glitches disrupted testing of thousands of students.

 

I-STEP testing last year was suspended after two continuous days of testing glitches that disrupted testing for more than 25,000 students. CTB McGraw Hill was fined more than $614,000 in damages per the state's $95 million contract with the testing company.

 

We can only hope that any issues with the practice test are resolved this week to prevent any issues occurring during actual testing next week--not just for the sake of school administrators and staff but most of all for the sake of the kids.