NYS ELA Testing Disrupted in Schools for 2nd Straight Day

Now, for the second straight day in schools across the Mohawk Valley and throughout New York State, problems with the state servers has caused an interruption in NYS English Language Arts (ELA) testing.

Several parents across the region have reported that their children were unable to participate in testing yesterday, due to computer problems and now, for a second straight day, the issue has stalled at least some of the testing.

“For the second consecutive day, a number of schools across the state experienced a slowdown with the Grades 3-8 Computer-Based Testing System," said NYSED's Communications Director JP O'Hare. "NYSED apologizes to schools, students, and families and, like those who were impacted, finds this situation unacceptable. Make no mistake: the state’s testing vendor, NWEA, is solely responsible for the issues that have affected testing this year."

Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES Dr. Patricia Kilburn said she shares in the frustration schools are experiencing. "We have been in communication with the New York State Education Department (NYSED) regarding these disruptions. NYSED has acknowledged that schools have been affected by technical issues related to the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), a division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, which provides the computer-based testing platform," said Kilburn.

"We share the frustration and disappointment of our students, families and dedicated educators who have prepared diligently for these assessments. The smooth and equitable administration of these important evaluations is a priority, and these technical issues are understandably concerning," she added.

O'Hare added that in order to offer schools additional time, "the computer-based testing window will be extended by one week to May 23. The tests will remain on the computer-based platform, and NYSED will ensure that NWEA offers ample support to schools that may require it."

"NWEA has provided assurances that a permanent solution has been put in place to avoid any further slowdowns, but it is understandable if schools wish to wait to ensure that there are no more issues before recommencing testing," said O'Hare. "For those schools whose students were able to log in successfully and take the tests, their responses are being recorded, and their sessions are being submitted successfully. Schools that encountered issues with logging in to the system may either pause testing today or complete tests today now that the system has stabilized."