| For Immediate Release | For more information contact: |
| August 15, 2000 | Lindsay Sander (651-297-5600) |
ST. PAUL State legislators heard testimony on Tuesday regarding the problems that occurred in the this year's scoring of Minnesota's Basic Skills Tests. Approximately 8,000 students were told they failed the math part of the state's basic-skills test when they actually passed, and more than 330 seniors may have been kept from graduating because of the error.
"As a parent and educator, I am extremely concerned about the lack of accountability by our state agency responsible for our children's education," Rep. Buesgens said. "Because of the mistakes that have now come to light the higher education opportunities of hundreds of Minnesota seniors remain in jeopardy. I think the people of Minnesota deserve an explanation and the expectation that policies will be put in place to assure this never happens again."
National Computer Systems, a private Eden Prairie company hired by the state to handle the test scoring, recently admitted its error to scoring more than 45,000 Basic Skills Tests. And Children, Families and Learning Commissioner Christine Jax said that the Department made a mistake by taking weeks to respond to the parent's inquiries.
"We had concerned parents looking out for the interest of their children," Buesgens continued. "If it wasn't for these very persistent parents, we would never have learned of these problems. Nor would the Department of Children, Families and Learning ever been held accountable for their lack over oversight of such an important program our students, their parents and school administrators depend on."
"This incident just feeds the public impression that state agencies are big and unresponsive," Buesgens concluded. "I think too many agencies forget that citizens are customers and should be treated as such."
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