From Dr. Ted Horrell, superintendent of the Lakeland School System (LSS), today (4.19.18):
“Update on TN Ready Testing: Lakeland Middle experienced disruptions to the testing platform today around 10 a. m. that seem to have been experienced statewide by other systems that were testing at that time.
The main issue involved the submitting of the tests that required students to sign out, restart their computers, login to the platform again and attempt to submit again. In many cases this had to happen multiple times in order to submit a test, and this often happened as other students in the room were still testing.
The scale of the issue required administrative and technical staff to go classroom by classroom to work with students on submission issues and pass on direction from the state. Unfortunately, we are not certain if the complete data from each test was submitted.
We want to thank our teachers, students, and administrators who have diligently and persistently attempted to power through these issues under such difficult circumstances.”
A new schedule of testing was posted by LMPS (Lakeland Middle Preparatory School) yesterday, showing testing through April 27 and make up tests the following week.
The online snafus are not impacting LES (Lakeland Elementary School) because students there are using pen and paper to take the tests instead of the online platform. Lakeland does not have a high school. Students attend Arlington High School through an interlocal agreement between the two cities.
The problems prompted Kevin Floyd, chair of the Lakeland School Board (LSB) to send a letter to the Education Commissioner, Dr. Candice McQueen, and Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam earlier this week expressing disappointment and frustration. See link to story: https://lakelandcurrents.com/tnready-testing-at-lmps-uncertain-according-to-superintendent/
In addition, Dr. Horrell spoke to the Government Operations and Joint House Education Committee meeting yesterday advocating on behalf of not only the Lakeland School System but school systems across the state that have experienced the debacle that is TNReady testing this year, according to Laura Harrison, vice chair of LSB. Link to story: https://lakelandcurrents.com/lss-superintendent-dr-horrell-in-nashville-today-for-tnready-testing-issues/
