Dive Brief:

• Technical difficulties stopped multiple Florida school districts from accessing the state's yearly standardized test, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT)
• The Pearson test has reportedly not been accessible due to an issue with the test company's hosting provider. 
• While Florida will eventually transition to a Common Core aligned exam created by AIR (also online), students are expected this year to complete the FCAT to assess academic growth. 

Dive Insight:

Tech integration on state standardized tests has been a goal of Florida's for a few years now. It is not alone. Almost three-dozen states will transition to online tests in the coming year as they move towards Common Core-aligned testing. 

That said, computer glitches are a reality when dealing with new testing territory. This year, both Kansas and Oklahoma have experienced computer issues that have greatly affected the results of their standardized tests.

As states continue this trend, thinking of contingency plans for technology failure is a must.