FairTest Seeks Help for Test-Takers Hurt by June 6 SAT Timing/Scoring Fiasco

for further information:

Bob Schaeffer (239) 395-6773

cell (239) 699-0468

for immediate release, Tuesday, June 23, 2015

CONTROVERSIAL SAT SCORES FROM TIMING ERROR ADMINISTRATION
SCHEDULED FOR RELEASE EARLY THURSDAY MORNING, JUNE 25;
FAIRTEST CALLS ON COLLEGE BOARD FOR FREE, EARLY-SUMMER RETEST,
SEEKS REBATES FOR EXAM-TAKERS’ EXPERIENCING DISRUPTION

Nearly half a million SAT takers, whose June 6 exams were disrupted by a timing mistake, are scheduled to receive controversial scores from that administration on Thursday, June 25. The test’s owner, the College Board, has announced that results from two of the test’s nine sections will not be reported.

The College Board asserts that the unprecedented scoring process is justified. However, the test-makers have offered no evidence to support that claim. Independent experts have expressed skepticism about the validity and reliability of any reported results.

A federal, class action lawsuit has been filed and several more are in process. The College Board has offered a free retest on October 3.

“The College Board’s response is far from sufficient,” according to the National Center for Fair & Open Testing (FairTest). The group’s Public Education Director, Bob Schaeffer, explained, “Test-takers, family members, educators and attorneys who contacted us do not trust that reported SAT scores will accurately represent student performance. Some need reliable results before the October retest to qualify for scholarships and special programs. Others seek compensation since a significant portion of their answers are not being scored.”

FairTest urged the College Board to:

  • Offer a free retest early this summer, not nearly four months from now in October, for students who need scores sooner;
  • Offer to cancel scores and refund all registration fees from the June 6 SAT to those who neither trust the reported scores nor want to retake the test;
  • Rebate a portion of the registration fee to all test-takers because less than 80% of all the questions they paid for are being scored; and
  • Make any studies and/or data they have to support the claim that June 6 SAT scores are valid and reliable available to independent experts for review;

The June 6 SAT timing error was caused by an inconsistency between instructions in the proctor’s manual and test-takers’ booklets. The students’ forms said they had 25 minutes for the sections in question. However, the proctor’s manual allowed just 20 minutes to complete the same items. As a result, timing for the sections varied among test sites.

– – 30 – –