PARCC testing expected in spring time

The Evangeline Parish School Board learned that students will be tested using PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) assessment in the spring, according to Superintendent Toni Hamlin, who was informed of this by the state department of education.
Since this is the online testing method that will be used at the end of the current school year, Hamlin said they will be fully implementing PARCC assessment in the spring. This online testing method follows Common Core standards. Hamlin stated that some areas have reported up to a 30 percent drop in scores during the first year with PARCC assessment and it could be a big blow to scores next year.
In other business, the board learned that open enrollment with the Office of Group Benefits has been extended. The original deadline of October 31, has been moved back to November 30. This will allow employees more time to become accustomed to the new hospitalization plans on offer and hopefully choose the plan that best suits their needs. Chief Financial Officer Amy Lafleur said that the Office of Group Benefits hot-line (1-800-272-8451) will be able to answer any questions employees may have about the different plans and whether or not certain doctors or facilities are inside or outside of the network. This information can also be found on the Office of Group Benefits’ website.
Hamlin urged employees to carefully review the benefits provided in each plan before making a decision on which plan to choose. She gave one example in which an employee questioned her about a particular plan’s benefits and discovered that although the premiums were low, the out-of-pocket expenses were approaching $9,000. “Please be very careful when looking at the benefits portion of the plans,” Hamlin said.