(October 17, 2012) — According to Assistant Principal Lena Kortoshian, the Glendale Unified School District volunteered to try out for a new type of computer based testing. As a result, Clark Magnet was one of the schools chosen to try out the test. Freshmen took the test on 8th grade science but the results will not be counted against their grade. The state only wants a feedback on how the test went and if there were any glitches. Part one of the test was administered on Oct. 5 and part two was given Oct. 9. Freshmen have taken the new computer based testing as a STAR test but in 2015 it will be the “new standards common core test.” In fact, the whole state of California will be taking the new test in May 2015. Kortoshian said she believes that the freshmen are lucky to have the opportunity to try out this new test because Clark has not done a STAR test online before and it will prepare them for the future. Each test is password protected. Before the start of the test, Tech Lit teachers gave each student a session ticket with a password and username. There were separate tickets for each part of the test. The test was self explanatory but each teacher still had to read the directions for taking the test. The state recommended that students should have a 60-minute time period to take the test; however, average student finished in about half the time, forty-five minutes tops, according to Kortoshian. This gave Tech Lit teachers about half the period to teach. Clark students were volunteered to take the test to make sure there aren’t any bugs or glitches in the program. Freshman Lauren Alparaz said, “Computer based testing was annoying because it would take forever to load.” However, she did like that she could move a car in a science question that asked for speed. Tech Lit teacher Nyrie Gharibian liked the test despite a few technical problems and believed that the animation made taking the test more enjoyable. “Computer based testing is more engaging than traditional testing,” Gharibian said.