Students Sue Testing Firm Over Disqualified Scores

More than two dozen students from a La Crescenta high school filed suit Thursday against the Educational Testing Service, claiming results of their advanced placement exams were invalidated without justification.

The suit filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles alleges that the national testing organization in Princeton, N.J., violated Crescenta Valley High School students’ right to due process when it invalidated exams given in May because seven of the 79 students were caught cheating.

The suit asks for unspecified damages and the reinstatement of the test scores of students who did not cheat on the exam. The tests are scheduled to be given again on Saturday and Sept. 16 and 23.

U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson denied the students’ request for an order postponing the retesting until the court rules on whether the original test scores should be released, said Craig N. Rossell, attorney for the students. The judge set an Oct. 31 trial date on the suit.

Most colleges give credit for introductory college courses to students who do well on the exams, which students can take in either their junior or senior year of high school.

But 13 of the La Crescenta students who took the tests will be enrolled in college for months before they get their scores.

The cheating was revealed in May after several students conveyed their suspicions to school administrators.

Several days later, seven students admitted that they had copied the answers of other students or opened test booklets too soon.

Parents of students who filed the lawsuit have sought to have the scores reinstated for those who did not cheat for more than a month.

“We feel that these kids are being punished for being honest,” said Sheryl Wirt, whose daughter, Melissa Dodd, will have to enroll in two biology classes at UC Irvine while she awaits the results of the retest.

“They’ve prepared for these exams for nine months,” Wirt said.

“Now, not only will they have to go through the whole grueling experience again, but they won’t do as well.”