REYNOLDSBURG, OH (WCMH) — Thousands of parents and students can breathe a little easier, now that ACT has decided to accept tests given on the wrong day in Ohio.
The incorrect tests were sent to 21 school districts, one of which was Reynoldsburg City Schools.
On April 19, 500 junior class students took the test that was supposed to be given on another day.
Soon afterward the district began receiving notifications the tests could be invalidated as a result.
The district and parents were displeased with the solution initially offered by ACT, which was to allow students to simply retake the test for free at a later date.
The displeasure was on two fronts; the cost students would pay emotionally and psychologically, and the risk students could run into by missing application and scholarship deadlines to some institutions of higher learning due to a lack of an ACT score.
Late Friday afternoon, ACT announced it would accept, score and release the tests.
“ACT has continued to look into the issues that led to the voiding of scores that impacted approximately 1 percent of the examinees in Ohio in connection with the state administration of the ACT. In our review, we have identified conditions that may have caused confusion in the test administration process. ACT will be reviewing our communications protocols and working to put additional measures in place to help ensure these issues do not occur in the future.
In light of this information, ACT has decided to release the scores of students impacted by this situation. As is standard practice with all ACT test administrations, we will be performing standard test security analyses in order to help safeguard the validity of the ACT scores. And, as is the case in every ACT test administration, should irregularities be found on individual tests, ACT reserves the right to take action to protect the integrity of the scores, including score cancellation if necessary.
ACT deeply regrets the inconvenience this situation has caused to schools, students and their families. We remain committed to the students of Ohio and will stand by our offer to provide an opportunity for every impacted student in Ohio to take the ACT again at no additional cost to the student or the state during the 2017-18 testing year.”