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Although a lot is riding on the latest ISTEP scores, it's difficult to judge by the numbers whether or not a school has improved in a specific subject.
According to Dr. Suellen Reed, state school superintendent, "ISTEP+ results are the primary indicator by which schools will be judged, both for category placement under Indiana's accountability system P.L. 221 and for meeting adequate yearly progress under federal law, No Child Left Behind."
However, since this was the first year to test students in grades three, six and eight on the new academic standards, it's impossible to compare the fall 2002 scores with previous years.
According to data provided on the state's Web site, http://ideanet.doe.state.in.us/, statewide, students who passed the math portion of the test were: 66 percent of the third-graders, 68 percent of sixth-graders and 66 percent of eighth-graders.
The same students scored a little higher in English/language arts, with 72 percent of third-graders passing, 68 percent of sixth-graders passing and 63 percent of eighth-graders passing.
Locally, the percentage of students passing math in grade three ranged from a low of 63 percent in Tippecanoe Valley schools to a high of 73 percent in Triton. For sixth-graders, the lowest percentage passing math was 62 percent at Whitko, and the highest was 81 percent in Warsaw Community Schools. In eighth grade, passing math scores ranged from a low of 58 percent in Tippecanoe Valley to a high of 78 in Warsaw schools.
For English and language arts, Triton had the highest percentage of third-graders passing, with 81 percent, and Warsaw had the lowest, with 72 percent. In grade six, Manchester had the lowest percentage passing, with 60 percent, while Triton had the highest percentage - 77. And in eighth grade, the lowest percentage was Valley, with 57 percent passing, and the highest was Triton with 69 percent.
Though approximately one-third of students in Indiana did not pass the math and English/language arts tests, Reed said, "It is a new era in Indiana, one in which we can be proud of our accomplishments and growth. By developing and distributing world-class academic standards and providing professional development funds to educators, we have raised the expectations for all students, parents and community members. Stakeholders now share the responsibility along with educators for students' achievement levels."
The fall 2003 ISTEP+ administration window will begin Sept. 15 and end Sept. 26. Students in grades three, six, eight and 10 will be tested as usual, and students in grade five will take the new ISTEP+ science test. In addition, students in grades four, five, seven and nine will take ISTEP+ in English and mathematics as a full statewide trial. Beginning in fall 2004, students in grades three through 10 will take ISTEP+ in English and mathematics.
