"We are a Reading First school, and for the past three years we have had resources to do a lot of training through the Reading First grant, which also applies to No Child Left Behind," Tromblee said. "So something that might have cost the district money didn't, because it came through Reading First."

The problem in costs is in the layers, Short stressed.

hidden costs

Besides scoring and administering tests, teachers must be trained to examine the data and use it to drive instruction.

"To do that it is consuming around four to seven days for every test and every teacher," Short said. "So multiply that by all the teachers in grades 3-8 and all the tests."

Districts must shell out money to hire subs while teachers are sifting through test data.

"We are either hiring subs or paying teachers in the summertime," Short said. "We have to hire a lot of subs."

The district also has to buy more materials to fill gaps, textbooks are rewritten and must be purchased and new materials are needed that are better-aligned to the standards. And like other districts, Plattsburgh has increased its Academic Intervention Services staff.

The district even hired someone three days weekly to compile data and ensure it is filed with the state Education Department.

Ultimately, Short said, Plattsburgh has shifted resources, made cuts and asked taxpayers for more money.

"This is a classic discussion of unfunded mandates."

sbartlett@pressrepublican.com