Warsaw Schools Sees Improved Pass Rate For IREAD-3
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David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
IREAD-3 pass rate for Warsaw Community Schools third-graders overall went up this year compared to the pass rate for the Warsaw third-graders who took the state test in 2012. However, not every individual Warsaw school saw an increase this year. In 2012, 513 Warsaw third-graders took the IREAD-3, with 451 passing the first time for a rate of 87.9 percent. In 2013, 567 Warsaw third-graders were tested, with 503 passing the first time for a rate of 88.7 percent. Last year, 63 students were recommended for summer school and the IREAD-3 retake. After retakes and Good Clause Exemptions, only one student did not pass. “That student did participate in the IREAD-3 this year and he did pass it,” stated Amy Sivley, WCS chief accountability officer, at the Warsaw School Board meeting Monday night. Sixty-four students will be recommended for summer school and the retake test this year, she said. IREAD-3 is a requirement of House Enrolled Act 1367 to evaluate third-graders’ reading skills each spring to ensure that all students can read proficiently before moving on to fourth grade. If a student does not pass, they must receive remediation through summer school and then retake the test. If a student doesn’t pass the second time, the student continues to receive instruction in third-grade reading, Sivley indicated. That student is officially reported as a third-grader and must fully participate in IREAD-3 and third-grade ISTEP during fourth-grade year unless the student qualifies for a Good Cause Exemption. Those exemptions include a student who has previously been retained two times prior to fourth grade; students with disabilities whose case conference committee has determined that promotion is appropriate; and English Learner students whose “Individual Learning Plan” committee has determined that promotion is appropriate. Sivley reviewed each of the eight elementary schools’ IREAD-3 results, comparing them to the 2012 results. Since the retakes are in the summer, the pass rates for 2013 should improve. “We only have two years of data because this is only the second year we’ve given this,” she said. At Claypool Elementary, the pass rate in 2012 was 85.7 percent, and with exemptions was 97.6 percent. This year, the pass rate was 94.8 percent and 100 percent with exemptions. Eisenhower saw a pass rate of 86 percent in 2012, and 94 percent with exemptions. This year, the pass rate was 94 percent and 98.8 percent with exemptions. Harrison had a pass rate of 84.9 percent in 2012, and 86.1 percent this year. With exemptions, its pass rate was 97.3 percent in 2012 and 94.9 percent this year. Jefferson had a pass rate of 89.6 percent in 2012, and 98.5 percent with exemptions. Its pass rate in 2013 was 79.8 percent, and 97.8 percent with exemptions, both slightly lower than the previous year. Leesburg had a pass rate of 85.5 percent in 2012, and 92.8 percent with exemptions. This year, it had 83.1 percent pass rate and 96.6 percent pass rate with exemptions. At Lincoln, the pass rate was 85.5 percent in 2012, and 94 percent with exemptions. This year, the pass rate was 90.5 percent, but 93.2 percent with exemptions. Madison had a pass rate of 93 percent in 2012, and 98.6 percent with exemptions. That was higher than the pass rate of 91.2 percent this year, and 94.1 percent with exemptions. With exemptions, Washington STEM Academy had 100 percent pass the IREAD-3 in 2012 and 2013. Without the exemptions, 93.1 percent passed in 2012, and 92.9 percent passed this year. Overall, WCS had a pass rate of 87.9 percent in 2012, and 96.5 percent with exemptions. This year, 88.7 percent passed, with 96.8 percent passing so far with exemptions. “We saw a little bit of growth in both of those numbers,” Sivley stated.
