The Quad-City Times - News, Sports and more from the Quad Cities region or Iowa and Illinois

You are not logged in.
Login

Log in to qctimes.com
Email:
Password:
Remember my information.
Register
Quadsville
Site Help

Harcourt statement

Font Size:

| Friday, March 10, 2006 |

Supplier statement

March 9: Harcourt statement regarding Illinois Standards Achievement Test

Harcourt regrets the delays in delivery of ISAT test materials. We realize that the testing season is a busy and stressful period for schools under the best of circumstances and that these late delivery problems have caused significant hardship.

We have been working around the clock to rectify the situation. As of today, 92% of schools have received test booklets and answer sheets. The balance of materials ordered to date will be received by districts no later than Monday, March 13. We will continue to expedite shipments of additional orders as we receive them.

We are staying in close communication with school districts to coordinate delivery. We intend to reimburse districts for any additional expense, including overtime, incurred as a result of delayed shipments of test materials.

A small number of test booklets have been found to contain duplicate test sections or to be missing sections. Six school districts have reported a total of 85 defective text booklets in the field, out of approximately 1.2 million printed and shipped. After receiving those reports, we conducted 100% manual inspections of all materials in affected grade levels. Our inspections have revealed a defect rate of less than 0.1%. In keeping with standard industry practice, we are supplying districts with 10% surplus test booklets to allow for replacements of any damaged or defective booklets, so schools should be able to provide every student with a complete and properly collated test booklet.

Our entire focus at this time is on completing the administration of the current ISAT smoothly and without further delay. We stand ready to provide to the State Board of Education whatever assurance they require of our ability to perform our duties under our contract with the state and to give them confidence in our quality control systems.