Area districts begin preparing for standardized testing

Next month will mark the return of standardized testing to area classrooms. Some of the exams can be administered online, but most require supervision, with school staff in the classroom as proctors. The SATs are one such example of an evaluation that must be in-person. Planning has already begun to ensure that it is done safely.

Hancock Superintendent Steve Patchin says that there is a healthy debate going on about whether standardized testing should be conducted this year, after it was skipped last spring. He says he tends to fall on the side of completing the exams because they help provide a baseline for students. Even it it is potentially imperfect, that can be valuable given the three tranches of money flowing in from Washington, DC.

Patchin says that Monday’s Board of Education meeting was a quiet one, fairly standard for this time of year. The panel spent most of its time finalizing the schedule for repairs at Hancock Central High School and Barkell Elementary using money from the district’s sinking fund. Plans continue for a website revamp to be completed by May. Patchin says that was originally set for last year, but COVID showed the importance of communication with students and parents. The new site will act as a clearinghouse for information.