Minnesota’s $38 million contract with a vendor to run its online testing system is encountering glitches that have school officials worried ahead of the spring testing season.
During recent practice testing, school officials across the state found that the online portal that the vendor, Pearson, uses to administer tests was outdated. Many were surprised when Pearson suggested that schools run their computers online in what they consider an unsecure mode.
A Pearson official acknowledged that the company should have been more specific about its system requirements. The company, she said, has developed alternatives for schools and is in routine contact with them to address problems.
