03/27/2024
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(Raleigh) — The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction has been granted a Temporary Restraining Order that will allow North Carolina public schools to continue use of the Istation reading assessment tool pending a full Superior Court hearing.  The order lifts two stay orders entered by the North Carolina Department of Information Technology that kept NCDPI from using the Read to Achieve assessment tool during a contract protest filed by a losing vendor.

 

The order was issued today in Wake County Superior Court where a judge found that NCDPI was likely to succeed on the merits of its previously filed petition challenging NCDIT’s stay orders.  The Court also found that DPI, students, and teachers would be irreparably harmed if the NCDIT stay orders remained in place. The assessment tool is being used as part of North Carolina’s required Read to Achieve program to test the reading skills of K-3 students.

“The Court’s order is good news and will prevent the disruption of the work and progress North Carolina reading teachers have already made this school year,” said State Superintendent Mark Johnson.  “Now teachers will be able to continue using Istation to assess students’ reading and have a benchmark to use at the end of the year.  I’m thankful to the Court for lifting these erroneous stay orders and look forward to a full Superior Court hearing.”

Superintendent Johnson and the North Carolina State Board of Education awarded the contract to Istation over the summer as directed by special legislation. The contract protest is currently pending before NCDIT.

Related link:

https://www.wral.com/dpi-wins-latest-battle-in-ongoing-fight-over-reading-assessment-contract/18851370/

 

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