WISE, A Foolish Decision

WRAL.com Students and parents say glitches in a statewide school administration computer system have resulted in some students actually failing classes. "This is so frustrating and so upsetting," said Pam Taylor. "You don't actually know what to do with it. You don't have a clue." Taylor's daughter failed three subjects as a result of teachers improperly entering grades into the computer system, known as N.C. WISE. [snip] Even though Taylor's grades were corrected, Taylor said she worries that the grade mix-up could happen to her daughter again. "If the system's going to do what it wants with their grades, why should they even study?" Taylor said. "That's what their mentality is." N.C. WISE has faced problems since it started seven years ago and has been plagued by complaints, delays and cost overruns of more than $100 million. Overall costs are now projected to top $250 million. Last week, the State Board of Education terminated its agreement with IBM to develop the information system. Educators had hoped it would be complete and running by now, but only one-third of the project is complete. $250 million! That's outrageous! The government mentality is ruining the school system. Pumping money into crap like WISE takes away from the individual schools. This money would have been better spent on teacher pay, faculity upkeep and the needs of the individual student. Where is the oversight on capital projects like this? A program that doesn't work and yet is at least 40% over budget needs to be looked at a lot sooner. The school my children attend burned down 2 years ago and we school system had to scrap and beg and pled just to get construction going on what will be an incomplete campus.