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For the first time, the Specialized High School Admissions Test went digital this year, and the transition went smoothly, Education Department officials said.
Of the roughly 19,500 eighth graders who took the exam Wednesday at their middle schools, just four, so far, will be taking the test this weekend or next week due to a technical issue with extended time accommodations, officials said.
“We’re pleased to report that the shift to digital SHSAT testing on Wednesday was successful,” Education Department spokesperson Isla Gething said in a statement. “There were no citywide or schoolwide issues and we are working with schools to address the small number of technical issues that arose.”
The Specialized High School Admissions Test, or SHSAT, is the sole basis of entry for eight of New York City’s top high schools, including Stuyvesant and Bronx Science. Students at all standalone middle schools could take the test in school on Wednesday. Eighth graders at 6-12 schools, charters, and private schools will be able to take the test at central locations this weekend. (Ninth graders can take the test on Nov. 22 or Nov. 23.)
Students with disabilities who have extended time to take the test ran into some glitches at Manhattan’s M.S. 104, also known as Simon Baruch middle school. The test clock said these students had three hours for the test — but it should have said six hours.
After about 20 minutes of trying to troubleshoot, someone from the Education Department told the school to reset the exams to correct the timer, according to a letter sent to parents. That took about an hour.
“The students were obviously frustrated by this,” wrote Principal Chris Comparetto in the letter. “I know how important this exam is for families and how much time and effort goes into it.”
He offered the students the option to restart the test or take it on Nov. 18. (Three students opted for the make-up day, he noted.) Comparetto told families that the same issue happened at more than 15 Manhattan middle schools.
Comparetto did not respond to questions from Chalkbeat.
Many students spend months studying for the exam, with some families paying thousands of dollars for tutors or classes to help them prepare. The city approved a contract for the new exam last school year. Before the test, the Education Department provided middle schools with a 45-minute digital SHSAT “readiness” activity so students could practice logging on, confirm accommodations, and navigate the new online features.
Some studies have found that students in general tend to perform worse when taking tests on computers and tablets. But the research is not definitive, experts have told Chalkbeat.
Most students are accustomed to taking exams digitally, however. Students take MAP assessments online three times a year, and all students in grades 3-8 by this spring will be taking computer-based state reading and math tests.
Next year’s SHSAT is expected to be computer-adaptive, meaning that the level of difficulty of subsequent questions changes based on a test-taker’s responses. (This year’s test was not computer-adaptive.)
Last year, 25,933 students took the SHSAT, and 4,023, or 15.5%, received offers to the eight selective schools, according to Education Department data.
Amy Zimmer is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat New York. Contact Amy atazimmer@chalkbeat.org.
