Given the loss of school days due to weather this winter, the Department of Education will extend the Dakota STEP testing window for 2010 by five working days. The new testing window will run from March 29 to April 23.

“We are aware of the potentially negative impact the lost instruction time could have on spring testing,” said Dr. Wade Pogany, director of the Office of Assessment and Technology Systems. “We know many schools have lost at least a week’s time and some considerably more.”

According to Pogany, moving the testing dates will be a challenge, but it’s worth it to provide schools with additional instructional time.

Questions regarding this change can be directed to Gay Pickner, the state’s assessment director, at (605) 773-3247. gay.pickner@state.sd.us