Brown County Schools has asked the state if it can take both parts of the ISTEP+ exam using paper and pencil instead of online.

“Our work with the readiness tests is that Pearson will have problems statewide with delivering the test. We’re worried we’re going to have similar issues statewide this year like we had last year,” said Superintendent David Shaffer.

Students took two readiness tests earlier in the year. The first test had problems including Java notifications popping up. On some computers, the Pearson testing platform icon didn’t appear.

The second readiness test had even more problems, said Director of Student Learning Debbie Harman.

Third- through eighth-grade students and 10th-graders will take ISTEP in two parts, somewhere in the windows of Feb. 29 to March 11 and April 18 to May 6.

District officials decided last fall to take the first part of spring ISTEPs with paper and pencil.

Students will be required to take an additional component of ISTEP online. That section includes questions that are being vetted for next year’s exam and the only way to access the section is online, Harman added.