Admissions test focus of lawsuit

A Dallas-based college test-prep company countersued the College Board claiming it is trying to put the Texas company out of business.

Karen Dillard, who owns and operates the Karen Dillard College Prep company, sued the College Board, based in New York, claiming the board stole trade secrets and slandered her to put her out of business, the Dallas Morning News said Tuesday.

The College Board, which produces and oversees the SAT college entrance exam, sued Dillard for copyright infringement, claiming she used live copies of the tests in her preparatory classes to give students an edge.

Dillard filed a temporary restraining order to prevent testing officials from using the allegations against her customers, who are afraid colleges will throw out their test scores and deny them admittance.

College Board officials say they sued Dillard because Karen Dillard College Prep broke the law.

Copying and circulating a live SAT form, which is used in real SAT administrations, is a very serious matter, board officials said.

Dillard said she purchased test booklets from the board before it stopped making them available to the public. The dispute centers on when tests are considered live or inactive.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International