A necessary update for all those concerned parents, educators, and community members: the TN Department of Education has awarded 18.5 million dollars to Pearson to score Part 1 of TNReady in grades 3-12 and Part 2 of TNReady taken by high school students. This is troubling for many reasons. Spending this amount of money to score these tests is pointless. Students are no longer in these grades or classes, so how could scores "hopefully" received in the fall serve any purpose? Also many teachers are no longer teaching in these grades so they can not use this information to guide instruction. So why would money that should be used to improve education in TN be wasted, and how did this spending get approved? The TDOE utilized a law allowing non-competitive bidding in "emergency cases". The problem is that the TDOE determined this emergency, so what would prevent them from deciding that awarding a contract for next year's test is an "emergency" and thus not require the correct bidding process. Switching testing companies does not address the bigger problem-we have a TN specific test that is inappropriate, time-consuming, and not recognizable anywhere else in the U.S. While federal education laws are calling for increased decisions at the local level and less testing, the TDOE is not responding. They insist that TNReady is a "good test". Shocking comments for a mother of soon-to-be 3rd and 4th graders who will be subjected to over 20 hours combined of TNReady tests (please understand that this number does NOT include the HOURS required by the state for benchmark test and the Mist practice) If you are concerned about an 8 year old sitting for well over 3 times what a law student sits for the LSAT, if you are concerned that TDOE is spending millions on an unreasonable assessment, or if you know a great teacher who does not deserve to have their evaluation scores determined by an impossible test.......Please contact the superintendents and legislators that represent your districts and demand that the TDOE stop wasting money, follow established procedures, and find a true and valid solution to the testing problems in TN!