Mar 16
31
KPBSD suspends Alaska Measures of Progress (AMP) testing
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District has suspended the AMP assessment in our schools until we receive further information from the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (EED). The decision was made in the afternoon, on March 31, 2016. This EED press release provides further information, and KPBSD will communicate with our staff, students, and parents when additional information and a final decision is made.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 31, 2016
Student Testing Suspended
JUNEAU – The Alaska Department of Education & Early Development has suspended computer-based testing of students in the Alaska Measures of Progress and other assessments because of continuing online connection problems between test-takers and the assessment system.
On Tuesday, at 10:30 a.m. Alaska time, construction workers at the University of Kansas severed a fiber optic cable, shutting down Internet service at the university, including online student testing hosted by the Achievement & Assessment Institute at the university.
The Achievement & Assessment Institute informed the department that school districts could resume testing today. After the system then crashed several times this morning, the department notified districts to suspend testing.
“The disruption to the learning environment of our students is unacceptable,” said Interim Commissioner Susan McCauley. “We will not resume the assessments unless the vendor can guarantee that the testing system is fully functional.”
Tuesday was the first day in which students in grades 3 to 10 were to take computer-based assessments in English language arts and mathematics, and science assessments in grades 4, 8 and 10.
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PRESS RELEASE
Commissioner’s Office
Dr. Susan McCauley
Interim Commissioner
P.O. Box 110500
Juneau, AK 99811-0500
education.alaska.gov
Contact:
Eric Fry
Information Officer
(907) 465-2851
Cell: (907) 321-5564
eric.fry@alaska.gov
