Mills High students, parents upset over thrown out AP test scores

MILLBRAE, Calif. (KGO) -- Students, parents and administrators of Mills High School in Millbrae are threatening to sue in order to get hundreds of AP test scores reinstated. Those scores were thrown out because of seating irregularities during the exams.

The college-bound students thought high school was behind them, but on Tuesday night with their parents they went back to their alma mater.

There were 224 students and recent graduates of Mills High School in Millbrae that were told they have to retake their advanced placement exams -- something they say is completely unfair.

"I need to study again everything and even though I didn't forget everything, it would still not be as fresh in my mind," said Bobby Chakalov, a Mills High School graduate.

Educational Testing Service, or ETS, invalidated the tests taken in May after finding out there were seating irregularities. The tests, when passed, give students college credit. Many of the tests were taken in the library, where the students may have either sat too close together or sat facing one another, which is clear violation, but something that had been standard operating procedure at the school for years.

"I sincerely regret having to be in this position and ultimately take responsibility for what transpired," said Paul Belzer, the Mills High School principal.

District officials and their attorneys have pleaded with ETS to reinstate the scores to no avail. They could make a decision on whether to sue as early as Tuesday. Many parents support the idea.

"There has been no cheating involved. It's just a matter of seating irregularities and we have a level of excellence that we'd like to continue," said Paul Seto, a Mills High School parent.

As to how the seating irregularities surfaced in the first place, ETS says it got a tip from a student, who like everyone else will have to retake the exam next month.

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millbrae, school testing, education, lilian kim

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