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Students taking PARCC tests
Winter weather forces Dept. of Education to add days for exams
By Denise Dick
Mahoning Valley school districts vary on whether they’ll use any of the extension days provided for standardized testing.
The Ohio Department of Education informed districts this week that the window for testing of the Partnership for Assessments of Readiness for College and Careers would be extended for up to five days because of the cold and snowy weather the past two weeks.
The original window was from Feb. 16 to March 20 for English language arts and mathematics for testing administered on computer and from Feb. 16 to March 6 for testing done with paper and pencil.
“Right now, we’re still OK, but we’re right on the line,” said Douglas Hiscox, Youngstown schools’ deputy superintendent of academic affairs.
School was closed two days last week and two days so far this week with more cold weather expected Friday.
If there are any more closings within the window, the district may have to ask the state for an extension, Hiscox said.
Austintown Superintendent Vince Colaluca said that district is only off its testing schedule by one day and he doesn’t expect to request any extension days.
Austintown students are testing on computer and as of Wednesday, the district had experienced only minor glitches, he said.
“We’re fully online,” he said.
Students in Liberty schools, on the other hand, are taking their tests with paper and pencil.
“It’s simply a hardware issue — having enough equipment in order to do it,” said Superintendent Stan Watson. “We could have pockets with computers in certain places with certain kids.”
The district has closed school for three days and called one two-hour delay within the testing window.
Boardman schools closed two days last week because of the weather and had one two-hour delay this week.
“We’re back on schedule, and we’re going to be fine,” said Linda Ross, director of instruction.
Like Liberty, Boardman students are taking the tests with paper and pencil, and the district is moving toward all-computer testing next school year.
“Wireless network was replaced, but there were some questions about the stability of it,” she said.
“Our technology department worked on it this year and they believe we have a solid network.”
Because Canfield schools didn’t begin the latest round of standardized until Wednesday, that district isn’t expecting to need an extension.
“It was scheduled to start [Tuesday] but was changed because of the two-hour delay,” said Superintendent Alex Geordan.
Testing on a day with a two-hour delay “wasn’t going to give kids the best opportunity to be successful,” he said.
Also, special-education students and some others are allotted extra time for the tests, and a delayed school day wouldn’t allow that extra time.
Like Austintown, Canfield students are taking the PARCC tests online.
The district began planning for the computer testing a few years ago and used permanent-improvement money to update technology throughout.