In the summer of 2000, Minnesota educators learned that 47,097 students received
incorrect scores on the February and April rounds of the mathematics BST because of errors in
the scoring keys for two of the test forms (Minnesota Department of Children, Families, &
Learning, 2000). As a result, 7,989 students in grades eight through twelve were notified that
they failed the test when actually they had passed.2 The scoring problem was uncovered by a
father whose daughter failed the mathematics test. In order to help his daughter prepare for the
next examination, the father obtained a copy of the test and found errors in the scoring key. The
testing company later admitted responsibility for the errors (Minnesota Department of Children,
Families, & Learning, 2000).