Jennifer Reed, parent of two Parkland students and a third-grade teacher at the Fogelsville School, expressed concerns to the board about a new elementary grade testing policy.

Starting this term, students in grades three to five are taking their normal unit math tests online.

Reed said, at the Oct. 22 board meeting, the district goal is to have all tests taken online and reading tests will soon be online, too.

She said the policy has frustrated parents who are given test results but have no copy of the document to see what the errors were.

If the parent had a copy of the test, he or she could use it as a learning tool to help the child improve skills, Reed said.

She said all online testing is susceptible to error and asked whether the decision to test online was student centered.

Elementary grade children are accustomed to doing things on paper, Reed said.

District Superintendent Richard Sniscak explained to her administrators are taking the comments of parents and teachers into consideration.

"We need to be flexible," Sniscak said.

Director of Curriculum and Instruction Kelly Rosario commented on Reed's concerns.

"We have hard copies available," Rosario said. "This is a new process, and we're working through it."

In other business, Assistant to the Superintendent for operations Tracy Smith reported Parkland is making online classes available from the best universities in the world through a program called Massive Open Online Course.

Parkland students have access to the university classes via the Internet.

Smith said the district wants each student to have a personal learning device that they may bring from home.

"We want to bridge the digital divide for those who do not have a device, Smith said. "If you can get to the Internet, you can get everything you need."

With many students bringing their own electronic devices and the prices decreasing, the cost to the district to supply devices where needed could be as low as $50,000, Smithsaid.

Board member Mark Hanichak questioned Smith,

"How long before a child doesn't have to carry a textbook in a backpack– six months or six years?"

"It's probably closer to six years or somewhere in between," Rosario replied.