Facing backlash, state changes test schedule again

Principals across New York State were none too happy to hear that the state had scheduled a test in between two upcoming high stakes tests, but with a stroke of a pen state officials have reversed the decision.

A memo the city sent to New York City principals says that “in response to principals’ concerns,” the State Education Department has moved the field test from May 4 to May 12-14, roughly a week after students finish their last exam.

Initially, the field test — an experimental exam that doesn’t count, but is used by test makers to gauge the difficulty of the test questions — was going to be sandwiched between the high stakes English and math tests that students in grades three through eight take. Principals warned that if students were forced to take three separate exams over the course of twelve days, “test fatigue” could set in and hurt their results.

The new schedule, which was released yesterday, will let schools administer the field test in a single day, or spread it out over several days.