Incompetence is Not Just for the SAT Anymore

No, that's not a Bush appointee running Harcourt, that's just one of his major contributors. The Illinois mess just gets worse, and we can only guess how many of these stories never make the local papers:

ARGENTA - Teachers in Argenta-Oreana schools are making do for this year's Illinois Standards Achievement Tests.

The tests were due to begin Monday, and districts statewide have experienced delays in delivery of the materials and problems with the accuracy of the materials even when they do arrive.

Argenta-Oreana Superintendent David Bottom calls it "a real mess."

"As of last night, the elementary school had not received the little rulers they were supposed to receive for part of the math test," Bottom said. "I know they received samples, but they didn't receive the package (of rulers) for the students." . . . .

Harcourt Assessment Inc. received the contract this year to produce a new test but have angered Illinois State Board of Education officials with the failure to deliver those tests on time. Even when tests were delivered, many had errors and omissions.

Decatur schools received their regular education testing materials last week, but did not receive accommodation kits for children with disabilities until Monday, despite of promises that those would arrive last week, too.