State Educational leaders hit another roadblock as issues with TNReady testing have returned.
A severed fiber cable between Tennessee and Georgia is causing statewide testing delays according to the Tennessee Department of Education.
Telecommunications providers have confirmed the main fiber cable between TN and GA was cut this morning. Individual vendors are letting their districts know. Testing can continue, but connectivity may be slow in areas of impact until this resolved.— TN Dept of Education (@TNedu) April 26, 2018
The severed cable comes within weeks of the thousands of Tennessee students being unable to complete the state-mandated testing after several issues including what some were calling a ‘deliberate attack’ on the online testing system.
“Due to technical difficulties with the state online assessment platform, several schools have been unable to submit their students’ responses today. The district has decided to suspend testing this morning until these issues are resolved,” said Knox County School Spokesperson Carly Harrington.
Patti Bounds is the Knox County School Board Chair. She says the number of issues is concerning.
“I think it’s a very big problem for the students educationally and emotionally as well,” said Bounds.
She says she is expecting changes next year.
“It is the year I believe when the contract with Questsar is to be renewed or reevaluated,” said Bounds. “I would assume that some of those changes may take place. A new governor, possibly a new commissioner, and probably a search for a new testing company.”
She says as far as she knows, testing will continue tomorrow if the problem is resoloved.