Introduction to Disruptions in Capital Region Schools
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — At least three Capital Region school districts had to postpone their state testing following computer system disruptions on Tuesday. Bethlehem Central School District, the Greater Amsterdam School District and Fort Edward Union Free School District were among the 10% of schools across the state that were impacted by the technical issue.
Affected Schools and Testing Postponement
At Bethlehem Middle School, students in grades six through eight were seated and ready to begin their state tests at 8:30 a.m., the district said. At about 8:35 a.m., the Northeast Regional Information Center reportedly notified school districts that the testing program was "down." By 9 a.m., Bethlehem CSD decided to move forward with regular instruction and delay the middle school’s first day of testing. Testing was also postponed for fourth through eighth graders in Amsterdam and third through eighth graders in Fort Edward.
Response from the New York State Department
The New York State Department issued a statement on the disruption on Tuesday. The department stressed that only a small number of schools were impacted by the technical error and impacted students will have plenty of time to complete their tests:
NYSED is aware of issues that occurred for a small number of schools attempting to administer the Grades 3-8 computer-based tests this morning. Although these issues were localized and only impacted approximately 10% of schools, we apologize for the inconvenience to those students and school personnel. In collaboration with NYSED staff, our vendor, NWEA, immediately took corrective actions to resolve the issues and have reported that the statewide testing system is now functioning at full capacity.
Impact on Testing Schedule
It’s important to note that tens of thousands of students have successfully completed their tests without issue. With six weeks allocated for testing, we remain confident that all students will have the time and opportunity to complete their assessments. We continue to monitor the situation and thank our school communities for their patience.
JP O’Hare, NYS Education Department spokesperson
Sixth through eighth graders in Bethlehem, fourth through eighth graders in Amsterdam and third through eighth graders in Fort Edward will now complete their testing on Wednesday and Thursday. Testing for other grade levels will not be impacted.
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Conclusion
The technical disruptions experienced by several Capital Region school districts highlighted the challenges of relying on digital platforms for critical assessments. Despite the setbacks, the New York State Department of Education and the affected schools have taken prompt action to ensure that the impacted students will have sufficient time to complete their tests. The situation underscores the importance of having robust backup systems in place to mitigate such disruptions in the future.
FAQs
- Q: Which school districts were affected by the technical issue?
A: At least three Capital Region school districts, including Bethlehem Central School District, the Greater Amsterdam School District, and Fort Edward Union Free School District, were impacted. - Q: What grades were affected by the testing postponement?
A: The postponement affected sixth through eighth graders in Bethlehem, fourth through eighth graders in Amsterdam, and third through eighth graders in Fort Edward. - Q: Will the technical issue affect the overall testing schedule?
A: According to the New York State Department of Education, the impacted students will have plenty of time to complete their tests, as there are six weeks allocated for testing.
