ISTEP+ Rescore Window Closes Tonight, Despite Web Issues

Testing company CTB released preliminary ISTEP+ scores from the 2015 assessment to parents this week, but many parents around the state are struggling to access their students’ scores through an online portal.

After viewing the scores, parents can request a re-score if their child is close to moving from one category to the next. After the re-scores are completed, the state plans to release ISTEP+ scores to the public by early or mid-December.

Despite the issues, Department of Education spokesperson Samantha Hart says the deadline for requesting a re-score remains 11:59 p.m. Friday. She says the DOE doesn’t have much choice because with CTB getting behind schedule with grading the tests, they need to stay on the current schedule so A-F grades can be calculated in a reasonable amount of time.

“We have to stick with such a tight timeline for calculating school grades and getting those out so teachers aren’t penalized,” Hart says. “Because we don’t have those calculated we have to stick to a really tight schedule, so unless the state legislature or the governor take action and request a pause or do a hold harmless approach we have to stick with this tight timeline.”

The state did not renew its contract with CTB to administer the ISTEP+ after this year and testing company Pearson will take over starting with the 2016 test. There have been glitches with CTB technology during previous years, when the online version of the test wouldn’t work while students were taking the test.