FCAT scoring error raises questions

Human error inflated last year's third-grade FCAT reading scores, state education officials said Wednesday -- an admission that again called into question the state's controversial high-stakes testing system. ''Last year's scores were probably higher than what we should have had,'' state testing director Cornelia Orr said -- just weeks after calling the students' performance in 2006 ``stellar.''

In response to the mistakes, 204,000 tests will have to be regraded and independent audits will become a regular part of the massive state testing program, Orr said. In addition, the state will convene a task force of testing directors and superintendents to decide what else needs to be done. However, there are no plans to forgo grading schools this year. Results from the rescored tests will be available before school grades are released next month.