From EdWeek

Technology issues have caused disruptions to Georgia statewide assessments,and the state board of education will decide on Thursday whether the tests will count for retention and promotion, a spokesman for the state’s education agency said.

While thehigh school testing window is open until May 6, the problems in lower grades with the Georgia Milestones tests—including an inability to save responses and issues with connectivity—were sufficient that the education department has asked the state board to waive Georgia’spromotion retention rule for students in 3rd, 5th, and 8th grades.

TheAtlanta Journal-Constitution reportedthat complaintsabout connectivity issues have included slow Wi-Fi;students being unable to log in, and students losing work after being kicked off the system.

Cardoza said that on April 19 there was a statewide issue with the platform where “student responses weren’t being cached,” and the test takerscouldn’t move on to another question.” Data Recognition Corp., which holds the contract for Georgia Milestones, resolved the issue, but other isolated issues arose. “Those might be a capacity issue in a district, or a variety of different things,” he said.

From Michael Moore: Last year was the first year that Georgia gave the Georgia Milestones Test through its contract with McGraw Hill. since then McGraw Hill sold its testing contracts to Data Recognition Corporation. Part of the reason for getting out of the testing business was because of glitches last year in Georgia, Indiana and Oklahoma, according to EdWeek.

Glitches this year have been numerous and massive according to local teachers.