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'A Minor Glitch:' New Jersey School Gives Wrong Standardized Test To 8th-Grade Students

BAYONNE, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Parents are upset over a mix-up with a standardized test as kids from one New Jersey school were given the wrong exam.

CBS2's Meg Baker reported 34 eighth-graders at Nicholas Oresko School in Bayonne were supposed to take the Algebra 1 Assessment, but were administered the Grade 8 Mathematics test.

It's just the latest problem for the controversial standardized test from the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers.

"The principal came in and he told us we had taken the wrong test," Allie said, adding the principal called it "a minor glitch."

Allie said some of the students got emotional about what happened.

"Some people were crying because we had taken a whole test and we had to basically throw away all the answers," she said.

One parent said about her daughter, "She was sad about that and she almost cried."

In a statement, the Bayonne School District said, "As soon as it was brought to the attention of the testing administrator, the test was closed. The New Jersey Department of Education Office of Assessment was immediately notified of the irregularity, and the principal contacted the parents."

However, one student said that's not what happened.

"The letter said we stopped the test. No, we took the test," the student said.

Parents said a student alerted a teacher, saying she thought something was wrong because the test was too easy. Teachers are not permitted to look at or help with the computerized tests.

"The material was really easy and we had learned it before, so we were confused why it was on this test," Allie said.

Several parents said they feared going on camera in fear of retaliation from the school district.

Bayonne Police officers told CBS2's Meg Baker they were called to the school because she was reporting the story.

The students will retake the correct test next Wednesday.

The Education Department said this was a local administration issue and 900,000 students take the test in nearly 2,600 schools around the state.

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