Imagine being a fifth grader and studying hard for a test...maybe even staying up past bedtime studying for it. Then you go do your best and, like all kids, breathe a big sigh of relief that the exam is over. Hopefully, you did well. But then you're told you have to take the test again! What is this, the Twilight Zone? No, that's exactly what happened to a bunch of fifth graders in Dist. 204. It may sound unbelievable in this digital world of instant communication, but it turns out that the test results were lost in the mail. Not the U.S. mail but from a national delivery company with all those high-tech tracking systems. And, it gets worse. It wasn't a run-of-the-mill geography or spelling test, but a big deal test to determine placement in programs and things of that nature. Wouldn't you hate to be one of those fifth graders and have to take the exam all over again? So who should be held accountable for this disastrous turn of events - Dist. 204, or the national carrier that lost the tests (nice tracking system, by the way)? It sure isn' fair to the kids.
Dist. 204 kids get short end of stick
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I blame the loss of the test on the US Mail. Remember, "When you work for the US Mail, you control...INFORMATION!"
Now, they have found the tests. Of course, you have to look on page 10 of the Sun to find that. But that's understandable. The Sun has more important tabloid stories to cover.
My fifth grader could care less. We have more important things going on in this district then a meaningless test. Kids getting the short end of the stick because of a lost test? I think the Sun could use some new and better reporters.
Give me a break. Fifth graders don't study for those tests. When I took them, nobody realized that there was testing until we got into class and saw the day's schedule on the board.
And I don't understand why the idea of sending tests away to be graded is such an unbelievable thing. It's standard practice.
I blame the carrier - the delivery company that lost the tests. The District should switch carriers and never use them again.
From the actual news article on the subject of the lost tests, I got the impression these were cognitive ability or IQ tests. I do not think that the students would be studying for these tests. They are used for placement
It's unfortunate but things of this nature occur. I believe the article stated that this was the first time that something like this has happened. The results of this test are used for student placement. The children do not receive a grade based upon how well they do. It's my understanding that these results are not collected for state statistics and No Child Left Behind.
I think the greater question is why the tests have to be shipped to Texas for grading. Aren't they any testing services in IL that can determine the results? It's a nationally-known, multiple choice test so it seems like the results could be easily tabulated by computer with the answer key.
As Vicki stated, we're not talking GMAT, MCAT, or SAT or ACT. Why is the district spending money to ship these tests to Texas? Those of you working in the school district, please shed some light on this.
Who wrote this column, a fifth grader? I can not imagine a professional journalist writing at such an elementary level. Perhaps the writer should revisit the fifth grade for a few more writing lessons.
It happens. So what. Get over it. Thats life. We have a fifth grader who is directly affected by this.
Maybe this is news to me, but who said they had to study and study what? Their not taking the GMAT or MCAT.