Severna Park High?s testing will be under scrutiny by the College Board after a cheating incident on an Advanced Placement history exam raised questions about the validity of results.
The incident, which took place during one exam section last spring, resulted in the school being placed on probation Tuesday, the school system said in a statement.
The College Board is a nonprofit membership association that manages many different standardized tests. Through Advanced Placement exams, students have a chance to earn credit at colleges and universities.
“We worked very closely with the College Board as soon as the allegations regarding the exam were made,” Superintendent Kevin Maxwell said in the statement. “We are confident we have rectified the issues that were present at the time and we appreciate the board?s thorough review of the situation.”
The school will still be allowed to administer the AP exams this year because it provided “vital assistance” to the board during the investigation, the school system said.
But the probation will affect the administration of other Advanced Placement classes and the SATs.
“It means the College Board will closely monitor the test operations at the school,” said Maneka Wade, a school system spokeswoman. “The notification did not stipulate for how long.”
Severna Park barred three or four students from taking the exam again as a result of the incident, Wade said. She couldn?t say how many were caught cheating or the names of the students, but that they were disciplined.
The rest of the students were permitted to take the exam again.
The instructor involved in the incident, whose name has not been released, was ordered by the College Board to not be part of the administration of any more AP exams. Also, the school?s designated AP coordinator must attend a College Board workshop.
Maxwell ordered an investigation into testing procedures at all 12 county high schools after the incident.
“We?re adding a section as part of the training called test security to make sure we?re addressing these issues,” Wade said.
A call to Severna Park Principal Jason Dykstra?s office was referred to the school?s public information office.
In a statement, Dykstra said: “Dr. Maxwell has set the bar very high in terms of testing. He has made it clear that students who put in the time, effort and energy needed to excel on tests such as these should not have their work tarnished by those who choose to skirt the rules.
“I will work very closely with my administrators, teachers, parents and students to ensure that the culture at Severna Park High School is one of academic integrity.”
