Ind. Department of Ed Investigating Testing Errors In Rochester

Students\’ results in the assessment have be invalidated and will be listed as \”undetermined\” in score reports. (photo credit: Alberto G/flickr.com)

The State Department of Education is investigating a testing administration error at the Rochester School Corporation. Approximately 700 students used calculators on a portion of this year’s mathematics ISTEP+ exam where calculators were not permitted.

The DOE blames the error on incorrect instructions from the testing vendor.

DOE Communications Director Molly Deuberry says the corporation contacted the Department of Education when officials discovered the problem.

“The Rochester School Corporation has been working closely with the Department of Education to try to come to resolution on this, to understand the different facts,” Deuberry says.

Of the students affected, only high school sophomores will have to retake the ISTEP. Three retest dates over the 2017-2018 academic year have been scheduled.

ISTEP scores are used to determine a school’s A-F letter grade. Deuberry says she doesn’t know yet how Rochester’s grade will be impacted by the error.

Students affected will have their math score listed as “undetermined,” so those results won’t be calculated as part of the school’s  A-F grade.

A-F grades tied to the 2016-2017 academic year will be released later this year. At that time, if the corporation believes its rating has been hurt by the undetermined scores they’ll be able to appeal.

Deuberry says the Department of Education is also investigating several other school corporations for improper calculator usage, but declined to say which ones.