Schools now charged for test retakes

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

Ohio schools have paid thousands of dollars in state fines for glitches that force standardized test do-overs, a newspaper reported Friday based on data it obtained from the state.

Amid budget concerns, the Ohio Department of Education in May began charging a fee of $25 per student, per subject to help cover the expense of giving second, alternate tests. The cost is incurred by schools or districts when their mistakes or rules violations make the new testing necessary.

Information released by the department to The Columbus Dispatch shows that 71 individual schools or school systems paid about $35,000 for flubs between March and May that made retesting necessary, the newspaper reported.

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.