TNReady materials have arrived in Hamilton County

Rachel Carroll, left, and Kristen Adams load boxes of test materials to take into Normal Park Upper School Thursday, March 10, 2016.

Kirk Kelly, director of testing and accountability for Hamilton County Schools

After several delays, TNReady testing materials have arrived in Hamilton County allowing testing to begin Monday.

Kirk Kelly, Hamilton County assistant superintendent of testing and accountability, said the tests arrived at the district's warehouse this morning and are being processed.

"It will take a few hours to process," Kelly said. "After completing the processing and sorting at the warehouse, we will send a notice to the schools to pickup their testing materials today."

The state decided last month to switch to paper and pencil tests, after the controversial online testing platform experienced significant glitches the first day of scheduled testing.

Paper and pencil testing was scheduled to begin yesterday, but due to printing delays the tests did not arrive last week as scheduled. Kelly was forced to create another testing schedules for schools, which the district should be able to stick to now that the tests have arrive.

Parents and educators across the district have voiced frustration about the rollout of TNReady this year, saying it robs students of instructional time and creates scheduling chaos for schools. Principals and the Hamilton County Board of Education have asked that test results not be incorporated into student, teacher or school evaluations, saying the results will not be reliable because of all the setbacks this year.The first part of TNReady will be administered Monday-Thursday for students in grades 3-8 in English, math and social studies. Students in high school yearlong courses, such as Algebra I, also will follow this schedule.

Block-schedule high school courses need to be flexible from April 18-29 for Part I testing.

Part II testing will be based on the Department of Education's ability to ship the materials, Kelly previously said, adding that "at this time our best recommendation for Part II, for all schools, is to keep open the dates of April 25, 2016, to May 6, 2016."

Contact staff writer Kendi Anderson at kendi.anderson@timesfreepress.comor 423-757-6592. Follow on twitter @kendi_and.