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For the second time in six  weeks, the first day of new standardized testing in Florida was problematic for some counties. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, state officials says an unauthorized change by the test vendor created login in problems.

From Tallahassee to Ft. Myers and Miami to Pensacola, Districts shut down math and reading testing. Leon Superintendent Jackie Pons says the disruptions can’t be tolerated.

“Our students are being used like Guinea pigs to go in and take a test, and they they are  held to the measure that you might not be able to go to the next grade on the basis of one test and they can’t even log in. This is madness. We got to end this.”

For the second time in six weeks, vendor American Institute for Research has made changes to the programming on the eve of testing…this time without permission.

ducation Commissioner Pam Steward was a no show at a a scheduled event.  In a statement she said “The company’s failure to follow protocol is absolutely unacceptable and the Department will hold AIR accountable for the disruption they have caused to our state’s students, teachers and school staff.”

State Senator Bill Montford wants to go a step further, throwing out test results for this year and perhaps next.

“And there once agains saying you can’t take it now. You’;ve got to come back in 30 minutes or you gotta come back tomorrow, that totally disrupts the process.”

Lawmakers passed and Rick Scott signed legislation last week  saying this years test won’t be counted unless it’s validity is proven by an outside party.  Florida Teachers Union Vice President JoAnn McCall sayS the latest problem is proof enough.

I believe were going to start asking our members to flood the Governor’s office with calls to suspend all testing for the remainder of the school year.”

Vendor American Institute for Research has a five year, 250 million dollar contract to administer the test.

In early March the state experience four days of testing delays when the Student Assessment test was rolled out. The vendor has yet to be fined.