TN not ready for new online testing

[Rocky_Top_Vol13]

It seems Tennessee didn't have all the kinks worked out for their new online TN ready tests that are taking the place of TCAP tests starting this year. The server crashed yesterday on timed tests not allowing kids across the state of Tennessee to take or complete these tests. The state has now decided to scrap the online test this year and is in the process of printing paper tests. The testing schedule has been pushed back nearly a month. My wife is a teacher and 10% of her, and every other teacher's evaluation, is based on this test. She has spent several hours with each class working with them on how to take the tests online, only to see all of that time wasted. Also as a taxpayer, it is maddening to see this system scrapped because the powers at be were not prepared. Thousands of dollars down the drain on this system and thousands more due to printing paper tests for each child in the state of Tennessee. My wife, and many other teachers across the state, are extremely frustrated at how public education is being handled in this state and how more accountability is being placed on teachers but state administrators are not ge4tting any fingers pointed their way. This issue just happened yesterday and I was not able to find any links to this story yet. Please feel free to post them up as they become available.

 

[Orange_Vol1321]

These tests are administered by Measurement Inc. out of North Carolina which had network issues is why the tests didn't work.

Just another example of our Governor and state government outsourcing jobs to non Tennesseans that wind up being a cluster.

 

[davethevol]

As taxpayers, we should be furious. As parents of kids having to deal with these new tests, we should be furious. And anyone that knows how much hard work teachers have put in for this only to have nothing to show for it, we should be furious.

People like Jim McIntyre are pushing their idiotic agendas that will actually hurt the education of children and there are zero repercussions.

 

[utvolpj]

Why does it take hours to teach someone how to take an online test?

 

[davethevol]

Why does it take hours to teach someone how to take an online test?

Well, these new tests are written assessments, so the kids are learning how to type and fill out metrics that Google monitors unbeknownst to many parents. They do not have multiple choice answers and are sent the tests are graded by people that are not teachers, so there are not necessarily correct answers. The grades will be determined by random evaluators that are offsite.

 

[Rocky_Top_Vol13]

Why does it take hours to teach someone how to take an online test?

Well for starters when you're dealing with 3rd and 4th graders from impoverished families who have never used a computer for any length of time, it is challenging. Secondly, I've had classes with some college students who have had difficulty logging into a website with the correct school user name, passcode and appropriate time slot. Now imagine elementary school age kids trying to do this. Oh and to make matters worse, there are no special assistance consideration given to special needs kids. So its the teacher and one other adult, the proctor, in with about 16-23 kids....so yeah, it takes some time to get them all on the same page!

 

[DarthVisor]

Well for starters when you're dealing with 3rd and 4th graders from impoverished families who have never used a computer for any length of time, it is challenging. Secondly, I've had classes with some college students who have had difficulty logging into a website with the correct school user name, passcode and appropriate time slot. Now imagine elementary school age kids trying to do this. Oh and to make matters worse, there are no special assistance consideration given to special needs kids. So its the teacher and one other adult, the proctor, in with about 16-23 kids....so yeah, it takes some time to get them all on the same page!

Spot on.

MIST is anything but simple, and it is very unreliable.