High school students retake AP tests after school mix-up destroyed them

NORTH LOGAN, Utah — Two dozen Green Canyon High School students in North Logan won’t get the credit for their AP tests as they were mistakenly destroyed in transit.

When students take the college-level tests, there is a strict protocol it is one that the district and students follow, but through confusion between Educational Testing Services and the shipping company, the tests were marked as “hazardous materials,” and by the time ETS responded, it was too late.

The students received a message in their email this summer they had two options, get a $75 reimbursement for the testing fee or retake the test.

Cache County School District and the students do not feel those are acceptable options considering many of the students are unable to take the test, and the cost of a college course is roughly a thousand dollars.

Zachary Crane took AP statistics last year, along with AP biology. In May, he was more than ready for the stats test.

“I took three practice tests for ap stats, I got a four the first time, then two fives,” Crane said. “So I was expecting a 4-5 range for AP stats.”

He is one of only five students that opted to retake the test. Gabriella Arnold is another.

“I honestly think that they should compensate us with at least giving us a score,” Arnold said.

She said she spent countless hours studying for AP stats and now doesn’t feel prepared for the retest, although she will.

Jennifer Hartman is the school counselor and the AP coordinator. She’s worked with students on AP courses for 12 years. She was frustrated by the flippant attitude toward the students’ hard work. She started making calls, hoping the tests weren’t really destroyed.

“When I spoke to them, they said, ‘Hey, the box of materials was destroyed,” Hartman said.

The shipping company told Hartman they contacted ETS, asking them to fill out a form confirming the box was just filled with paper. But, according to them, ETS filled out the wrong form, so the box was destroyed.

The students want ETS or the shipping company to pay for damages, including tuition reimbursement for the classes they’ll likely have to retake once they graduate.

“I’d love an apology first of all. And accountability too,” Crane told KSLTV. “They’re a big old corporation with money to spare for a couple of lowly students from Logan, Utah.”

“I honestly think that they should compensate us with at least giving us a score,” Arnold said.