UPS has apparently lost some SAT exams. Now, it’s not exactly the first time that a mail carrier has lost standardized exams. Just last year, UPS compensated test-takers from Starpoint High School for losing their AP exams. And several years back, a number of Staten Island, New York test-takers’ SAT exams went missing during the devastating Hurricane Sandy. This time, it seems that a UPS truck has lost many SAT exams, later recovering all but 55 of these exams, from the El Paso Independent School District in El Paso, Texas.

As Zoe Sottile reports for CNN in a piece entitled “55 students may have to retake their SATs after they were lost from a UPS truck,” “The El Paso Independent School District said that the loss affected students who took the test on October 27 on campus. Staff were able to recover all but 55 of the tests. Students whose tests were lost will be able to take the ACT, another popular standardized exam, on December 10 at no cost, according to the school district. UPS stated that it had apologized to the school and the students in a statement shared with CNN. ‘Our employees are working to recover as many tests as possible, and we will work with the school to resolve the situation,’ said the company in the statement. ‘The driver’s actions in this case are not representative of UPS protocols and methods, and we are addressing this with him.'”

So, let’s get this straight, students whose SAT answer sheets were lost will be able to take the ACT at no cost? What good is that offer if they’ve prepped for the SAT rather than the ACT? That’s like offering someone a candy bar after they accidentally run over their foot. Thanks for the Hershey chocolate bar but no thanks! We urge UPS to do better. These students likely prepped long and hard for this SAT administration. Merely compensating them for the cost of the exams doesn’t suffice — although it doesn’t even seem UPS made such an offer. Instead, they get to take an ACT for free. Maybe
UPS will even give them ice cream sundaes after? Color us unimpressed.