MONROE - Advanced placement students in the Monroe school district who took the May biology test with the incorrect calculators will not have to retake the test to have their scores counted after all, according to Debbie Schmidt, the counselor who administered the test.
Schmidt attended Monday's school board meeting to explain and give an update on the issue that was presented by three parents at the meeting June 9, and to "take responsibility" for the incident.
She presented the board with a check for just over $2,000 to reimburse the district for the $89 test fee it had begun reimbursing to the 23 affected families.
Schmidt said she personally called each of the affected families to apologize. Most were understanding and saw this as a "learning experience," she said.
This was her first year giving the test, as there was a change in instructors from last year. The College Board also changed its calculator policy last year, she said. They publicized the change when it was new, but didn't do the same again this year.
The calculator information is not listed in the "Bulletin for AP Students and Parents" that is provided for students, but the bulletin refers to the website where the calculator policy can be found.
Students showed up to the test with scientific calculators, Schmidt said, but not the approved four-function calculators. She collected theirs and gave them different calculators that the school uses for other tests. She said she realized after the test that the ones she handed out were also incorrect. Schmidt said she contacted AP that afternoon to see if she could correct the situation.
District staff "spent an incredible amount of time working with AP," according to District Administrator Cory Hirsbrunner.
And last week, the effort paid off when the College Board decided to accept the original test scores. Schmidt said AP determined the calculators didn't give the students an unfair advantage.
Sherri Hendrickson, whose son was among the AP biology students, said she plans to return the test money reimbursed by the district, given that the test scores will be accepted.
"I appreciate the gesture," she said, referring to Schmidt's offer to pay the district, "but it's unnecessary."
Board member Les Bieneman also took issue with Schmidt's donation and said he doesn't think she should be financially penalized for the incident.
Her $2,047 check will be on the agenda at the board's next meeting on July 14 as a donation item to be approved by the board.
The incident was "unfortunate," Hendrickson said. "But ultimately Debbie was trying to uphold the integrity of the school as a testing site."
Schmidt attended Monday's school board meeting to explain and give an update on the issue that was presented by three parents at the meeting June 9, and to "take responsibility" for the incident.
She presented the board with a check for just over $2,000 to reimburse the district for the $89 test fee it had begun reimbursing to the 23 affected families.
Schmidt said she personally called each of the affected families to apologize. Most were understanding and saw this as a "learning experience," she said.
This was her first year giving the test, as there was a change in instructors from last year. The College Board also changed its calculator policy last year, she said. They publicized the change when it was new, but didn't do the same again this year.
The calculator information is not listed in the "Bulletin for AP Students and Parents" that is provided for students, but the bulletin refers to the website where the calculator policy can be found.
Students showed up to the test with scientific calculators, Schmidt said, but not the approved four-function calculators. She collected theirs and gave them different calculators that the school uses for other tests. She said she realized after the test that the ones she handed out were also incorrect. Schmidt said she contacted AP that afternoon to see if she could correct the situation.
District staff "spent an incredible amount of time working with AP," according to District Administrator Cory Hirsbrunner.
And last week, the effort paid off when the College Board decided to accept the original test scores. Schmidt said AP determined the calculators didn't give the students an unfair advantage.
Sherri Hendrickson, whose son was among the AP biology students, said she plans to return the test money reimbursed by the district, given that the test scores will be accepted.
"I appreciate the gesture," she said, referring to Schmidt's offer to pay the district, "but it's unnecessary."
Board member Les Bieneman also took issue with Schmidt's donation and said he doesn't think she should be financially penalized for the incident.
Her $2,047 check will be on the agenda at the board's next meeting on July 14 as a donation item to be approved by the board.
The incident was "unfortunate," Hendrickson said. "But ultimately Debbie was trying to uphold the integrity of the school as a testing site."