Tennessee lawmakers grill education commissioner over TNReady test

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — State lawmakers have spent the afternoon grilling Tennessee’s education commissioner over a new problem with the state’s assessment test.

One lawmaker called for Education Commissioner Candice McQueen to step down over the latest debacle with the test called TNReady.

McQueen announced earlier this week that students couldn’t take the online test because the computer system of the company that administers the test was experiencing a “deliberate attack.”

Lawmakers vented frustration with McQueen over repeated problems with testing students in Tennessee.

In 2016, the state canceled its five-year, $108 million contract with a testing company because of repeated failures, including the inability of students to get online to take the tests followed by problems getting paper tests to schools on time.

Last year, officials said nearly 10,000 tests were scored incorrectly.