Dive Brief:

• Ohio will be the first to administer one of two Common Core-aligned digital exams this week.
• The Common Core exams are largely produced by two testing consortiums — PARCC, which Ohio is using, and Smarter Balanced — and are anticipated to be harder and longer than past state exams, with some anticipating a "Common Core cliff" due to predicted score declines.
• Rigor aside, there is also fear about that digital component, with some critics questioning how a students' computer skills or a district's wireless connection can unfairly impact test scores.

Dive Insight:

Another concern: As digital becomes more commonplace, so do malfunctions. In Spring 2013, a reported 80,000 Indiana students had their tests interrupted because of CTB/McGraw Hill server issues. These problems persisted last April, when a number of slow and freezing computers during the state's practice tests led to fears that testing glitches would once again disrupt the annual ISTEP test.

Those fears weren't isolated. CTB/McGraw-Hill had a similar issue last year with Oklahoma testing. And while testing eventually resumed, it was suspended for a period of time. Around that same time in April, 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. Meanwhile, in Kansas, officials were iffy about releasing the results of the state's new standardized tests following myriad computer glitches and cyber attacks that impeded the testing process. In March, Kansas officials extended the testing period by two weeks after school districts reported numerous technical difficulties, which led to test delays and interruptions.

As many states try out new tests — many of which are now computerized — the experiences of Indiana, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Florida should be an example of the downside of technology and why it's always important to have a plan B. If not, it can end up being a big waste of time and create more reasons for people to decry the amount of time wasted on testing in schools.