Homepage > Honolulu News

Waianae Students To Retake Standards Tests

DOE Says Preparation Sheets Too Close To Test Questions

POSTED: 9:36 am HST April 15, 2005
UPDATED: 9:50 am HST April 15, 2005

A probe into suspected cheating on the state standards test at Wai'anae Intermediate School is over. The Department of Education said 1,100 seventh- and eighth-graders will have to retake portions of the reading test because of a security breach.

DOE officials said teachers who were given preparation sheets to help students review for the test flagged the problem, which triggered the investigation.

"Those test preparation sheets that were given to teachers to review with students and those test preparations were a little too close to the items on the Hawaii State Assessment," DOE Evaluation Director Robert McClelland said.

The DOE said the testing company, Harcourt, will provide a different version of the test for the students to take.

The school was allowed to resume testing this week on the math portions of the exam.

The DOE would not say what kind of disciplinary action would be taken.

A written statement released Thursday said only that schools Superintendent Pat Hamamoto will be handling personnel matters.