State Standards Deluxe Middle School Ed. Grades 6-8

This is a 2007 program that has already been discontinued by the publisher- with reason. In using the tests, I found a huge number of questions (several in each test I tried) that had very serious typographical errors- to the point where I had no idea what question was being asked. For example, "=56". That was the extent of two math questions I ran into. The possible answers listed were all two-digit numbers. Clicking on the help button provides you with information about how to navigate the program- nothing about the current problem. It does advise you to press the "speak", "evaluate", or "show me" buttons- none of which exist! I skipped these problems and kept going. I found another problem that asked me to express "four to the third power" as digits. Evidently, the program was unable to correctly raise the "3" into position, because "43" was listed twice as an answer, but 64 was not listed. After each test I completed, I was advised that if I had any scores in the yellow or red zones, I should "repeate" (sic) the test.I contacted the publisher, and they e-mailed me a patch. But it is only to remove the audio reference to nonexistent buttons. The typographical errors have not been corrected. They do not plan to produce any further patches, because the software was produced by a third party, and the publisher has discontinued it. They offered a refund, but my purchase will not qualify for it.This program is so seriously flawed, it should not be sold by any reputable dealer.

My son has taken the 6th grade full and some strand tests. There is no built in help for each problem. Also, there isn't a report for parents showing exactly which answers were incorrect. The actual tests he has taken have been decent, so far. However, the promises made by the software are seriously lacking.