Idaho School Districts Unhappy with New “Test Score” Software

Public school business managers say districts are overwhelmingly "unhappy and frustrated" with a new data system designed to collect and monitor student test scores, attendance and other data.  Tom Taggart with the Idaho Association of School Business Officials told lawmakers Wednesday there are serious concerns about the new longitudinal data system, which is designed to track students from the time they enroll in kindergarten. Nearly 70 percent of school business managers rated the state Department of Education poorly for its implementation of the data system on a February survey. School administrators also have concerns. The Idaho Legislature's budget writing committee reviewed the survey results at a meeting in Nampa. Public schools chief Tom Luna told lawmakers he is working to address the concerns. Idaho was the last state to install a longitudinal data system.