SYRACUSE -- The State Education Commissioner is defending a controversial decision to schedule state tests during what is supposed to be spring break for many school districts.
John King says the testing schedule was delayed because the state was waiting to finish a deal with the vendors involved. However, tests still need to be done in time to get results by the end of the year.
During a tour of the Syracuse School District today, CNY Central's Jim Kenyon asked King about the issue. King calls the scheduling conflict unavoidable. "Unfortunately, we were aware of the conflict." King says, "I think it's one of the unfortunate challenges that results from not having a common statewide calendar, so we actually have spring break in different districts around the state on several different weeks in April.
King says about 10 percent of the districts in the state are impacted. He says he expects districts to work through the scheduling troubles.
Several local lawmakers have called on the state to change the testing schedule.
