Missing high school tests found

By Emily Richmond

Monday, May 16, 2005 | 11:08 a.m.

Western High School administrators and students were celebrating this morning that a batch of missing answer sheets for the state proficiency exam had been located.

Gregory Wolfram, assistant principal at Western, said about 150 seniors were being notified this morning whether or not they had passed the state exam. Those who failed will have to take the exam again this week if they want to receive diplomas at graduation next month.

"This was stressful for all of us," Wolfram said. "We encouraged kids last week to keep studying and be prepared but obviously those who passed are glad to know they won't have to take the test again."

Like the rest of the Nevada's high schools, Western's answer sheets from the April round of the exam were mailed via UPS to Measured Progress, a New Hampshire-based testing company. Envelopes for several schools, including Western, went missing.

Sue Daellenbach, testing director for the Clark County School District, said Measured Progress officials located the envelopes over the weekend. Exactly where the delivery went awry wasn't known, Daellenbach said.

Paul LaMarca, director of assessments for the Nevada Department of Education, said missing answer sheets from schools in Elko, Lyon and Washoe counties also turned up at Measured Progress' office over the weekend.

"At this point we believe there were some organizational problems as to how the information was shipped," LaMarca said.

The transition time for Measured Progress to take over administration of the proficiency exam from Harcourt Measurement was "incredibly tight," La Marca said. Measured Progress was awarded the $13.4 million contract in November to develop and score standardized tests for Nevada students in grades 3-8 and high school. The contract runs through June 2007.

"Part of this is the learning curve," LaMarca said. "We'll work out these problems and we'll all do a much better job next year."

Approximately 1,700 Clark County seniors, about 12.5 percent of the class of 2005, still need to pass the math section of the proficiency test this week. Passing scores on the math, reading and writing sections are a requirement for a diploma. Students who do not pass the exam receive a "Certificate of Attendance," which can be traded in for a diploma if they pass the test on their final opportunity in July.