Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SYRACUSE -ÊWhile the Indiana Department of Education will not release the state ISTEP scores until approximately Feb. 15, individual school corporations have received theirs.
At Wawasee schools, "In comparison, you don't have the same kids, but if you're looking score to score, year to year, we've improved in math," said Tom Tumey, Wawasee assistant school superintendent, of the overall scores.
However, in English and language arts, he said, the scores have stayed pretty consistent in 10th grade over the past few years, but there is a need to look at improving in that subject. The corporation's overall English and language scores have dropped since 1996, especially for the classes of 2002 and 2006. Next year, with the English/language arts textbook adoption, it will be an area they will study more closely, he said.
In 1996, the corporation scored 66 percent overall above standard in math, 71 percent above standard in 1997 and 1998 and 74 percent above in 1999.
In English and language arts, the corporation overall scored 68 percent above standard in 1996, 73 percent above standard in 1997, 70 percent above in 1998 and 66 percent in 1999.
Another way of determining how Wawasee has performed over the past three years is to follow individual classes' progress in math and English and language arts over the years, Tumey said.
For example, as eighth-graders, this year's sophomores were 73 percent above standard in math and 82 percent above in English and language arts in 1997. Two years later, in 1999, the class improved to 78 percent above state standards in math but dropped to 77 percent above in English and language arts.
This year's eighth-graders were 69 percent above standard in math in 1997, improving to 71 percent in 1999. In English and language arts, the class was 65 percent above in 1997, improving to 71 percent in 1999.
This year's scores for sixth-graders dropped compared to their scores three years ago. In 1996, as third-graders, the class was 73 percent above the standard in math and in English and language arts. In 1999, as sixth-graders, their math scores were 70 percent above, and had dropped to 54 percent above in English and language arts.
However, 69 students who took the ISTEP test as sixth-graders in 1999 did not take the test in 1996 as third-graders, according to information provided by Wawasee schools administration. Their scores were 55 percent above the standard in math and 39 percent above in English and language arts in 1999.
There were 184 third-graders in 1996 who took the test as sixth-graders in 1999. Their scores improved in math from 75 percent in 1996 to 77 percent in 1999, while their scores in English and language arts dropped from 76 percent in 1996 to 60 percent in 1999.
