Charter school’s SAT test probed

The Educational Testing Service is investigating irregularities in the administration of the SAT exam at Granada Hills Charter High School earlier this month, a spokesman said Tuesday, raising the possibility that students who took the college entrance test may have their scores invalidated.

“We are looking at the October administration at the Granada Hills High School, but for confidentiality reasons we’re not really able to comment any more about it,” said Tim Ewing, the director of press relations for the private testing service. He added that officials are “moving quickly to resolve matters.”

Administrators at Granada Hills, which calls itself the largest charter school in the country, did not return repeated telephone calls and e-mails seeking information about the testing inquiry. An assistant to Executive Director Brian Bauer said Bauer was away from the office and referred queries to Director of Counseling Charlene Creeger, who did not return calls.

Granada Hills is a former Los Angeles Unified School District campus in the San Fernando Valley that was converted to a public charter in 2003. L.A. Unified spokeswoman Ellen Morgan said district officials were unaware of problems with the college entrance exam given at the school Oct. 4.

Students from other local schools may have taken the SAT at Granada Hills, but it is not clear how many did.

As high-stakes tests such as the SAT have taken a central role in American education, stories of cheating and other irregularities have periodically surfaced. In May, the Educational Testing Service voided the results of nearly 400 Advanced Placement exams taken by students at Trabuco Hills High School in Orange County. The company said students were allowed to talk, consult study aids, send text messages and leave the room in groups during the exam.

-- Mitchell Landsberg