ISTEP system test 'a complete disaster'

Problems continued Thursday during the second scheduled stress test of the online ISTEP system.

This week's stress test — the second after a similar test in January failed — was meant to ensure the system will work smoothly when the online portion of the ISTEP is administered to 470,000 Indiana students in April.

"It was a complete disaster," said West Lafayette Community School Corp. Superintendent Rocky Killion, summarizing a report from the district's technology staff at Happy Hollow Elementary School. "Kids did not get through it. Computers were freezing up. Everything was shutting down."

Similar problems, although less severe, happened at Cumberland Elementary and West Lafayette Jr.-Sr. High schools, Killion said.

Lafayette School Corp. assistant superintendent John Layton said his district experienced similar issues.

"Computers have been freezing, kids have been getting kicked off the computers," he said. "Things went along pretty well for about 20 minutes and then began to freeze up."

Tippecanoe School Corp. assistant superintendent Christy Fraley said that although the trial run went better than January's stress test, problems persisted.

"After about 25 minutes, there were significant slowness issues reported at many buildings," Fraley said.

CTB/MCgraw-Hill, the administrator of the ISTEP test, reported "a number of schools have reported freezing issues" today, according to the company's online status page.

Similar freezing took place during the 2013 test, preventing more than 27,000 kids from taking the exam. ISTEP results factor into school grades and teacher performance and pay.

With the online portion of the test two months away, CTB/McGraw-Hill and the state have time to work out the issues.

But Thursday's freezing is just the latest turn of events adding stress to an already stressful test.

The ISTEP is a major topic of debate this year as the test's length has more than doubled from last year — ballooning from about six hours to more than 12 for some grades.

The first portion of the ISTEP will be given later this month but is shrouded in uncertainty. After issuing an executive order Monday to shorten the test, Gov. Mike Pence has hired two consultants to examine its length.

State Superintendent Glenda Ritz has agreed to cooperate with those consultants and has called a special meeting of the State Board of Education for 9 a.m. Friday to discuss this year's exam.

Just weeks away from the first part of the test, districts are unsure of what to expect. TSC Superintendent Scott Hanback voiced his frustration during a Wednesday school board work session.

"We're testing 13 days from now," Hanback told board members.

"This has really taken its toll (on morale). The principals (and teachers) have done the best they can ... to shield the kids from this but when that panic sets in on the teacher's face and that fear of the unknown, kids are going to pick up on that."