Education
Education

Georgia schools’ new high-stakes test administered with minor glitches

By Ty Tagami
May 7, 2015

The new test that replaced the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests in Georgia’s public schools this spring was administered without incident for most elementary school students, but technical glitches disrupted the experience for some.

The test, which was taken by computer in some schools, was a problem for some students who need assistance in reading the questions.

An online screen reader reportedly failed to perform as expected in many instances.

“While many of our districts are testing online without problems, and the issue we are having is mostly isolated to the online screen reader, it is still unacceptable to have even one district having a problem when our testing contract calls for a robust online testing program,” state Superintendent Richard Woods wrote in an email to local superintendents in late April.

He wrote that the state would be holding test contractor CTB/McGraw-Hill “accountable for this mistake, I assure you.”

About the Author

Ty Tagami is a staff writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Since joining the newspaper in 2002, he has written about everything from hurricanes to homelessness. He has deep experience covering local government and education, and can often be found under the Gold Dome when lawmakers meet or in a school somewhere in the state.

Follow Ty Tagami on facebookFollow Ty Tagami on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

Jack Rumpf, an incoming first-year from Athens, fist-bumps Buzz, Georgia Tech’s mascot, while entering the Campus Recreation Center Parking Deck to check in for move-in on Georgia Tech's campus in Atlanta on Saturday, August 10, 2024. (Seeger Gray / AJC)

Credit: Seeger Gray / AJC

Georgia Tech receives a record-high number of applications

After becoming Georgia's highest-enrolled college last fall, the Atlanta-based school received a record-high number of applications for the upcoming year.

Apalachee families urge Kemp to veto school cellphone ban, citing safety concerns

Several families of Apalachee High students said the texts they received during the Sept. 4 school shooting informed their opinion that a ban was not the right move.

DeKalb superintendent eyes higher grad rate, braces for future budget issues

DeKalb Superintendent Devon Horton talked about the ups and downs of education at the annual State of the District Address.

The Latest

Layla Contreras, sister of an Apalachee High School student affected by the mass shooting last year, advocates for gun safety at the Capitol in Atlanta on Friday, March 28, 2025. She and Apalachee High mom Tinya Brown also called on Gov. Brian Kemp to veto a cellphone ban for K-8 students. (Arvin Temkar / AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com

Apalachee families urge Kemp to veto school cellphone ban, citing safety concerns

Georgia Tech receives a record-high number of applications

DeKalb superintendent eyes higher grad rate, braces for future budget issues

Featured

People join a rally in support for U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employees on Tuesday afternoon, April 1, 2025, at the Atlanta headquarters after federal cuts triggered significant layoffs. (Photo: Jenni Girtman for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Credit: Jenni Girtman

Mass layoffs underway at Atlanta-based CDC

Public health experts say the CDC cuts could represent generational damage to health research and the elimination of infectious diseases.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank discusses his hourlong phone call with Kirk Cousins

“I had a long and impactful conversation with him,” the Atlanta Falcons owner said at the NFL annual meeting on Tuesday.

Atlanta rapper Young Scooter died after cutting leg on wood fence, medical examiner says

New details still have investigators asking questions about the death of the rapper, who police say died after falling while running from officers responding to a 911 call.