Dozens Of ACT Exams Go Missing From NJ High School
EDSION, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- More than 40 kids in central New Jersey will have to retake the ACT college entrance exam after their tests went missing in the mail.
As if checking your ACT score wasn't nerve-wracking enough, imagine opening up an email and finding an apology in place of your score.
Annette Walsh's daughter took the test on April 13 at Edison High School, but only recently learned her exam was never processed.
"That's unacceptable. At minimum, there should have been a back-up plan," Walsh said.
The test is one of two options students are required to take to be admitted into college.
FLASHBACK: Long Island Students, Parents Irate After ACT Answer Sheets Go Missing
The ACT says it received a package from FedEx, but there were no answer sheets inside.
They told CBS2's Christina Fan they don't know what happened but will continue searching.
That's not the answer parents wanted to hear.
"This is a four-hour grueling test. I'm going to speak for myself, I don't want my daughter to have to go through that again," Walsh said.
The ACT told CBS2 that 46 students were impacted, but that these circumstances are extremely rare. A quick search of CBS2's archives, however, showed at least two other cases. In 2016, 53 tests disappeared on Long Island.
FLASHBACK: Long Island Students Want Answers After Their ACT Exams Go Missing
"Any business of this size with this magnitude and this importance should have a disaster recovery plan to make sure that any break in the process can be recovered and managed," Walsh said.
The ACT said they are moving in the direction of more computer-based testing, but the change will be gradual, since not all test centers have the proper equipment.
Affected students have been offered refunds, and the ACT says they can register to take the test on another date at no cost
"I don't want the free test and I don't want the refund. I want the answer sheets found," Walsh said.
Walsh says no amount of money can compensate the additional time her daughter will have to spend studying again.
The ACT says electronic testing is already available to some school districts.
