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District 180 testing issue dates to 2005
Updated: December 4, 2011 10:29AM
The Illinois State Board of Education is looking into irregularities in standardized testing at 33 Illinois public schools, including a self-reported irregularity that occurred at Community Consolidated School District 180 in Burr Ridge in 2005.
The Burr Ridge district reported an irregularity in testing of its third-graders at Anne M. Jeans School shortly its occurrence in 2005. The irregularity involved 21 of the 74 third-graders who took the Illinois Standards Achievement Test in reading.
Those 21 scores were eliminated from the district’s test results. Math scores were not affected.
Superintendent Tom Schneider, who was not with the district in 2005, said he had no knowledge of the report or the incidents leading to it. Frank Rink was superintendent when the self-reported irregularity took place.
ISBE spokeswoman Mary Fergus said irregularities in standardized testing can come from “a whole universe of issues,” including matters such as passing out a test too early or failing to accommodate a student with special needs.
“There’s a range of things that can happen in a classroom as tests are being administered,” she said, most of which are unintentional.
Fergus would not discuss the nature of the problem in District 180.
“Because they’re under review, this is all we’re releasing at this time,” Fergus said.
ISBE is reviewing all 33 situations to determine whether further disciplinary action is warranted.
“We haven’t released a determination on them yet,” Fergus said.
A letter sent to Rink in May 2005 thanked him for reporting and investigating the District 180 testing incident.
The letter from Becky McCabe, ISBE division administrator, reads, “Thank you for sending the report describing the investigation of this matter. I appreciate the promptness with which your district contacted us and the forthrightness, thoroughness, and honesty with which your school conducted the necessary investigations. Your actions have assisted us in maintaining the security and integrity of the state tests.”
